Au Paire
by VirtualFaerie
Summary: Draco is stuck with his cousin's four-year-old daughter for the whole summer, who got him into this predicament? HIS MOTHER! So he's decided to hire an au paire, guess who gets the job? OH! I'm not going to tell! *COMPLETE*
1. It's What's Best For You

**A/N: I think that I'm suffering some kind of brain dieses because I've gone and started ANOTHER fic, I think personally think that I have too many. I have 4 now, that's a lot of writing to do. And yeah…well, the plot bunnies just attacked my head. They do that often *frowns*, but I guess there's nothing that I can really do about it. All I can really say is PLEASE read this and PLEASE review, reviews make me feel better, and flames…well they're just flames.**

******** I changed/edited some parts!************* 

**Disclaimer: I disclaim! **

**Au Paire**

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**Chapter 1: It's What's Best for You**

            Draco Malfoy was pacing his first floor library. How could he have let his mother make him do that? He was twenty-three now! Doesn't that mean that he shouldn't have to do her bidding? 

            He had moved out years ago after his father, Lucius, got him on of the top jobs at the ministry. Now he was living in his own mansion: three stories high, fifty bedrooms, sixty bathrooms, five living rooms, a drawing room, a coat room, three libraries, a ball room, a pool, and his own personal quidditch field in his backyard. A very big house…er mansion, but it was only a smaller version of his parent's house, to him at least. 

            Voldemort had been defeated three years ago by Harry Potter (A/N: No big surprise, eh?). So there were no more Death Eaters. Lucius never talked about the Dark Lord but was still fairly active in the Dark Arts. 

            Still, Draco wondered how he could have ever agreed to such a preposterous idea…oh wait, he didn't. Him, Draco Malfoy, being in charge of a four-year-old, NEVER! 

            Just that morning Narcissa Malfoy Apparated to Draco's breakfast table, "Hello dear," she had greeted him, smiling suspiciously. 

            "Mother," Draco acknowledged nodding his head and taking a sip of his black coffee. Mrs. Malfoy clasped her hands together. 

            "I've just heard the most wonderful news!" Narcissa said eagerly. _What? Draco thought __Father's finally jumped off a bridge and killed himself? "You're cousins, Nick and Jade, are going on a trip this summer, on special ministry business, and they can't bring their four-year-old daughter, Raven." _

            "What's so _wonderful about __that?" Draco asked silkily. _

            "Well, I being _me," Mrs. Malfoy beamed, "I volunteered you to watch little Raven for this summer!" A sip of coffee that Draco had just taken was now spurting out of his mouth. _

            "WHAT?" He raged. "Me? Take care of a four-year-old? Mother, what were you thinking?" Draco was now standing up muttering a spell to clean the coffee from his robes. 

            "Well actually, I think I'm doing what's best for you." Narcissa stated calmly. 

            "What's BEST for me?" Draco bellowed walking towards his mother. 

            "Yes, you're twenty-three now, and still not married," Draco rolled his eyes. "So when you do _finally get married, I want you to have some experience with children. I want you to be a better father than," she heaved an impressive sigh, "Lucius." _

            "I'll never be like_ Lucius." Draco said quietly. _

            "Well then, I trust you'll do fine with Raven! She's arriving here in two days!" Narcissa smiled and with a faint 'pop' disappeared from the dining room. 

            Draco mumbled under his breath, "A four-year-old?" He sat back down in his chair and just put his head in his hands. 

            "Master Malfoy? Are you done with your breakfast," Inquired a spiffy looking house elf. 

            "Yes Hopkins, please take it away." Hopkins looked startled, 'please'? "And prepare the bedroom two doors away form mine for a four-year-old girl. Pink, dolls, whatever, and I'm sure Miss Wells in the kitchen will help you if you told her that I said she was to." 

            Hopkins was confused, but didn't ask any questions. He took Draco's plate and coffee cup and started for the kitchen. "Oh! And Hopkins, prepare the bedroom in between mine and the other one that you'll be preparing…across the hall. Prepare it for a guest…a female guest." Draco added. Hopkins even more confused just shook his head and walked into the kitchen. 

***

            "Ooo, look at this honey! The perfect job for you," Molly Weasley said looking at the Daily Prophet. 

            "What is it?" Ginny Weasley asked putting her coffee mug in the sink, she liked her coffee with lots of cream and sugar. 

            "I'll read it," Mrs. Weasley said brightly. "_Young woman needed to au paire for a four-year-old girl. Must be able to entertain her, will pay plenty. If you are interested, arrive at __104 Windy Dr.__ tomorrow at two in the afternoon. Interviews will take place promptly at two, don't be late." Mrs. Weasley finished grinning. "You'd be perfect for the job. You handle Ron and Hermione's Robert very well, and we all __know he's a handful." Mrs. Weasley handed the paper to Ginny. "And besides dear, you really need to get a job." _

            Ginny bowed her head, "Yes mother, I'll go to the interview tomorrow. I wonder how old the parents are." 

            "It doesn't say, but that house is in a very wealthy area, so I'm sure you'll be making lots of money." Ginny snorted. "WHAT? You will! And then you can move out and be on your own just like everyone else!" Ginny rolled her eyes. 

            "But I _like living at home with you guys," Ginny said quietly. _

            "Ginny, you're twenty-two, and single, you aren't going to get hitched if you stay home." Mrs. Weasley said bluntly, and shooed Ginny from the kitchen. 

            Ginny stepped into the front hallway, 'pop'; Harry Potter had just apparated inches from her. Harry smiled down at her, "Hullo Gin." He leaned down and gave her a peck on the cheek, Ginny blushed. 

            "Hullo Harry," she mumbled. 

            "Where's your mum? I really need to talk to her." Ginny's mood fell a bit. 

            "In the kitchen," she sighed. 

            "Thanks Gin." 

            Harry was _still not married. Right after he got out of Hogwarts he became an auror, and after he defeated Voldemort he went on to play professional quidditch, with the Chudley Cannons; Ron was proud. Ron was working at the Ministry of Magic and Hermione worked during the day as a librarian at a muggle library. Ginny didn't have a job, and she didn't really want one. But her mother wanted her to have one…so she was looking, resentfully. _

            Being an au paire didn't exactly appeal to her to much, but it was a job, and it would get her mother off her back. She just hoped this little girl would like her. She walked up to her room. Ginny stood in front of her floor length mirror to look at herself. _Short, she thought, __I'm very short. And she was. It seemed that she had stopped growing length-wise her fourth year, she was only 5'1. Her long wavy red hair fell right to the small of her back; her brown eyes were large and doe-like. She stomped to her desk to write her resume. _

            Now that she was thinking about it. She_ did need a break from her family; she was tired of all her tall brothers calling her 'little' Ginny. If it wasn't for her breasts she'd look like a twelve year old! Or at least that was what she heard Lavender Brown telling Parvati Patil in her sixth year. Ginny was rather…well endowed. _

            Why didn't the person hiring the au paire have their name in the advertisement? Were they beastly people? 

            When she finished her resume she walked over to her mirror again. She pulled a silver chain out from under her shirt. On it was a pendant in the shape of a heart, and on the back it said _passionem. She had bought it a long time ago and wore it so much it was practically part of her; without it she'd feel naked. Ginny tucked the pendant back under her robes and started downstairs, she walked into the kitchen and was greeted by a very hard-set Mrs. Weasley. Who looked like she was going to say something that she didn't want to. _

            "Ginny, I need you to listen to me." Ginny nodded," You're twenty-two now and well, I just really think that you should take that job, you love kids. And as much as I hate to say it, I think that your getting to be a little too old to still be living at home."

**A/N:Okay, there's the first chapter! Tell me what you think! Review! I need at least 7 before I post the next chapter! So start REVIEWING! Don't think that somebody will do it for you! It's your review that counts! LoL! ^-^**

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	2. NeenerNeenerNeenerYou'reABigFatWeiner!

**A/N: Okay, I think that I'm going to like this story, just to let you all know, who didn't pay attention to my author's note last chapter, I changed what Mrs. Weasley said to Ginny. My very wise friend (Rubyjuls1722) pointed out to me that it was OOC, so I changed it, and now I think its betta! YAY! Ok, ok on with the story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognize from Harry Potter. I PWOMISE!**

**Chapter 2: Neener-Neener-Neener-You're a Big Fat Weiner!**

_By: VirtualFaerie_

_OH yea! I forgot to dedicate this story to someone! Okay, well this story is dedicated to my bb's Kelsey and Carla!_

            "Drakey! Drakey! I want a purdy one!" Raven said as she bounced around the dining room where Draco had got Hopkins to set up a table for interviews. "A **purdy one!" She sang and jumped around Draco's chair. Draco rolled his eyes, how was he going to stand this kid _all summer?_**

            "Okay, okay, but you can only have a pretty one if you sit in your chair and be a good girl." Draco said and patted her head awkwardly. She scrunched up her face at him.

            "_My mommy says that I'm __always a good girl." Raven stuck her tongue out at him. Draco smirked at her and didn't say anything else. He glanced down at his Rolex (**A/N: hahahahaha, Drakey has a ROLEX!), it was 1:55. He had to stay in the same room with her for another excruciating FIVE minutes. Raven was now currently playing leap-frog…by herself. Draco winced each time she landed with a big **__thump on his hardwood floors._

            "Sit down! The pretty ones won't want to stay if you keep hopping around like that." Draco said grinning, Raven stopped in mid-jump and turned to scowl at him. She stomped over to her chair and flopped into it.

            "Der, are you happy now, Mr. Drakey?" Raven said sticking her tongue out at him again. Draco smirked at her again, and glanced at his watch, two o'clock.

            "HOPKINS! Send the first one in!" Draco yelled across the room. Hopkins bowed and scurried out of the room to go get an interviewee. A tall lanky woman with a big nose walked in, Raven immediately scrunched up her nose and shook her head. The lady looked at Draco and her eyes widened instantly.

            "Draco Malfoy?" Draco cocked an eyebrow and nodded.

            "Is there a problem?" He asked somehow being able to look down at her even though she was the one standing up. The woman looked familiar, vaguely.

            "I-er-nothing's wrong, except I don't really think that I want this job any more." She spun on her heel and jogged out of the room. Draco frowned, how rude.

            "Hopkins, what was her name?"

            "Lavender Brown, Master Malfoy." Draco waved his hand and Hopkins scurried off yet again to get another victim er…I mean interviewee. 

            This time a very weathered looking old woman, who had several chins and lots of extra skin, this time Draco wrinkled his nose _with Raven. She walked over to them slowly and sat down in the chair in front of them. Raven stood up in her chair and leaned over across the table. She flicked the woman's chin__s and sat back down. The woman looked absolutely outraged. Raven grinned wickedly at Draco and then said in a sing-song voice, "Neener-neener-neener-you're-a-big-fat-weiner!" Draco snorted, but straightened up immediately._

            "Oh, Raven don't do that," He said in a non-convincing tone. The woman didn't say anything; she just stood up and left. "Grrmies," Draco said when she left. "I didn't like her anyways."

            "Me neither!" Raven said crossing her arms. "I hope they all aren't that ugly." Draco chuckled; maybe this little girl _could be funny._

            They sat there for another hour, and Raven was fidgeting and becoming more annoying by the second. Another lady had just walked out. "Hopkins, how many more are there?" Draco asked wearily.

            "One sir," came his squeaky reply.

            "Well, then, send her in." Draco un-slouched and rolled his neck as a very short woman with flaming red hair stepped through the doors. She blinked when she saw him, but nevertheless sat down anyways. Draco knew her from somewhere…school? She looked like a Weasley, he smirked. Raven was bopping up and down at his side.

            "OoOOoO, I like this one!" She screeched hitting Draco on the arm, the red-haired girl laughed.

            "Stop that!" Draco snapped. Raven stood up on her chair and turned her backside to him and shook it in his face. Draco shoved her and she almost fell off her chair.

            "That wasn't very nice, Drakey!" The red-haired girl snorted, Raven hit Draco again. "And I _do like this one. She's purdy; the other ones were old and had big noses."_

            "What's your name?" The red-haired girl asked Raven.

            "My name is Raven Ann Kiln, what's yours?" Raven said stating her name proudly. The girl frowned.

            "My name is Virginia Weasley, but you can you can call me Ginny if you like." Ginny said sweetly.

            Raven clapped her hands, "Dinny! I like Dinny!" Raven giggled so hard she nearly fell out of her chair. Draco rolled his eyes.

            "What's a matter Weasley, did you have to get a job to help support you family?" Draco asked nastily. Raven frowned at him and hit him as hard as she could. "STOP THAT!" Draco bellowed at her, causing Raven to double over with giggles.

            "Well, are you going to hire me or not?" Ginny demanded. Draco rolled his eyes, and Raven stopped giggling and looked pleadingly at Draco.

            "Well, I guess that I'm going to have to, you _are the last person, and Raven's insulted everybody else." Draco shrugged._

            "Yay!" Raven climbed off her chair and started a cute little boogie dance, Draco scoffed.

            "Stop it," he said, "You look ridiculous."

            "No, she doesn't," Ginny frowned at him, "It's cute." 

            "Well, can you start today, I have to go to work and I can't bring this little bugger." Draco stated nonchalantly. Ginny paused.

            "Yes," she said and Raven ran over to her screaming, "Dinny! Dinny!"

            "I suppose you'll have to go home first to get your things." Draco said prying Raven from Ginny's leg.

            "My things?" Ginny asked confused.

            "That is if you have any," Draco sneered. "You will have to be staying here; I have absolutely no time to look after this kid." Raven punched the back of his knee; evidently she didn't like being called 'kid'. Ginny scowled at the thought of living in the same house as Malfoy.

            "How much are you paying me?" She asked brusquely. 

            "Thirty galleons a day," Draco responded immediately. 

            "I'll be back in an hour," Ginny said before she disaperated. Draco groaned, another HOUR with this brat.

            **A/N: Har, har, har, okay, so what did you think of this chapter? Good, bad, bloody good? REVIEW, REVIEW! PLEASE! I already have the next chapter written *smirks* I'm just waiting for reviews until I post again. Okay *taps chin* I think that I want 16 before I post the next chapter! Remember it's your review that counts!**

Thank you to:

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Laurel (Thank YOU!)

Sheeni (I'm glad that you like it!)

Blythe (Thank you, I was hoping that this idea was original)

DragonLover (*bows* I'm really really glad that you reviewed.)

Cait (Thank you!)


	3. 

**A/N: Yay-ness! I got my reviews! I'm soooo happy, the more reviews I get the more I feel like writing! Without further ado, I present to you *cracks up* chapter 3!**

**Disclaimer: I disclaim!**

**Au Paire**

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_Dedicated to: My bb's Kelsey and Carla_

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**Chapter 3: "Let's Get to Know "f" Words"**

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            Ginny apparated back to her kitchen at home, Molly Weasley was at the stove cooking dinner. "How'd it go honey?"

            "Fine," Ginny sighed, "I got the job, I just came back to get my stuff, they need me to start immediately."

            "TODAY?" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed.

            "Yes, I need to get my stuff together I said I'd be back in an hour." Ginny said starting up the stairs, and then she noticed her mother sniffling. "Mum, don't worry I'll come visit. It's not like they're keeping me prisoner." _Or at least I don't think that they will, she added mentally._

            "Okay honey, you go get ready," Mrs. Weasley waved her off and turned back to the stove.

***

            Ginny apparated to Draco's front door and knocked, a bit nervously. Hopkins opened it. "Welcome Miss Wheezy." He said a hopped off beckoning him to follow her. "Master Malfoy and Misses Raven are in his library." Ginny followed and he led her down a dark hall, he knocked loudly on a door.

            "Come in," came the reply. Hopkins opened to door.

            "Master, Miss Wheezy is here," Hopkins said and scurried off. Ginny stepped in the door.

            "Dinny! Dinny! You're back! Yay!" Raven jumped off the sofa that she was sitting on and ran to Ginny and grabbed her leg. Ginny smiled and bent down to hug her. Raven latched herself around Ginny's neck and Ginny picked her up. "You're a lot more fun than _Drakey, all he does is read. And he doesn't even have any good books." Raven scrunched up her nose and pointed at Draco who was sitting in a high backed chair reading a very old looking book._

            "Well, guess what?" Ginny asked Raven who was hugging Ginny rather tightly.

            "WHAT?" Raven screeched, Ginny saw Draco wince out of the corner of his eye.

            "Stop screaming," he drawled lazily and went back to his book. Ginny rolled her eyes at him.

            Ginny looked back at Raven, "_I brought you some books." Raven's face lit up._

            "Really? Can I see?" She squirmed out of Ginny's arm and started through her bag, Ginny's face flushed. Raven threw out some shirts and a bra, some panties, and some robes before she finally found the books. Draco looked at the lingerie that was on the floor with mild interest; he looked up at Ginny and smirked. She glared at him and he chuckled wryly. "Oh! Read me this one!" Raven exclaimed jumping up and down clutching a book with her small hands to her chest.

            Ginny bent down and shoved her things back into her bag, with Draco watching her. She finished and walked over to the sofa that Raven was bouncing up and down on. She read the title of the book, "Let's Get to Know 'F' Words," Draco snorted. 

            Ginny read about different words that began with 'f' and Raven listened contently. When Ginny finished Draco said, "They seemed to have left out a very commonly used 'f' word."

            "What Drakey?" Raven asked innocently, of course she didn't know it. Ginny glared at Draco, and he gave her a 'WHAT?' look.

            "He was just kidding Raven, don't listen to anything that he says, he's not a very good boy." Raven nodded knowledgably.

            "I know, he's a very bad boy," Draco scoffed.

            "Yeah, I'm a _very bad boy, so you better watch out," he said sarcastically. Raven stuck her tongue out at him. Draco glared at her and then checked his watch. "Get your things Weasley; I need to show you where your room is before dinner." Ginny glowered at him but picked up her things and followed him out of the library. They went up two flights of stairs and started down a hall._

            "_Drakey can you give me a piggy-back ride?" Raven asked letting her feet fall heavily on the floor._

            "No," he said simply.

            "_DRAKEY! Please?" Raven tried again._

            "No," Ginny scowled at him and threw her bag into his arms forcing him to carry it.

            "_I'll give you a piggy-back ride," she said sweetly picking Raven up and throwing her over her shoulder. Raven giggled. Draco sneered at her, and shoved her bag back so that she was carrying Raven __and her bag._

            "Here it is," Draco said stiffly opening a door. "Dinner will be ready in thirty minutes; Raven's room is across the hall and one door to the left. Have her changed and ready." Draco left them and turned down into another hallway.

            Ginny stepped into the richly decorated bedroom and set her things, "Shoo," she said to Raven and shut the door to the room walking over to Raven's. "We need to get you ready for dinner."

            "Oh-tay," Raven said bouncing into her room. It was very…pink; Raven walked to the closet and pulled out a frilly grey robe. "I want to wear this." She said. Ginny took it from her and helped he get undressed and pull the other robe on. She fixed Raven's jet black hair, and studied her a bit. Raven was your average cute little four-year-old. She had black hair, and the Malfoy grey eyes, very cute. Ginny told Raven to play in her room for a couple of minutes while she went to change. 

            Ginny went into her room and unpacked quickly and slipped on a clean black robe. She stepped in front of the mirror and fixed her hair, when she was satisfied she left to go get Raven for dinner.

**A/N: Okay, that's enough of this chapter let's make an appointment for the next say…27 reviews?**

Oh, and thank you very very much for your reviews! They made me smile! I love reviews *smiles and faints for no apparent reason*

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	4. Midnight Meeting

**A/N:  It's totally NOT my fault that I haven't been able to post! It's all FF.Net's fault! I had this chapter all written out already. And then ff.net screw's up. *grumbles under breath* But it's all okay now, eh? OH! I wanted to tell somebody who might actually care! Yesterday when I was working at the library I saw this one family come in and they were almost just like the Weasleys. Only they had all girls and one little boy (who was the youngest), and there were seven of them, I counted, only there were no twins, but still, don't you think that's neat? I do, and they had red hair. Okay, enough of me babbling. (Don't steal silver's name now)**

**Disclaimer:  I disclaim! Do I really have to keep saying this? Don't you guys already know it? I disclaim everything! Even the stuff _I own!_**

                                                **Chapter 4: A ****Midnight**** Meeting**

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_By: VirtualFaerie_

_Dedicated to: My bb's Kelsey and Carla_

            Ginny walked around the mansion for five minutes, holding a bouncing Raven's hand before she actually found the dining room. She never thought it was possible to get lost in a house, but this house certainly proved her wrong. It was very possible. Raven didn't seem to have noticed that Ginny had no idea where she was going. She was skipping and jumping, humming the "My Little Unicorn" song. Once she told Ginny that she was hungry and Ginny told her they were going to dinner.

            As soon as they stepped into the dining room, Raven let go of Ginny's hand and raced over to Draco, who was already seated at the head of the table, writing on some parchment. "Drakey! Drakey! Look at my purdy robe!" Raven said walking like she was on a catwalk and swirling around so the robe would fly out.

            "Hmmm," he said, not really paying attention. Ginny noticed that he had very neat handwriting, and he was writing rather quickly.

            "DRAKEY!" Raven shouted then stomped her foot on the floor so that it made a loud thud.

            "What?" Draco said irritably looking up from his parchment.

            "Look at my purdy robe," she went through her little catwalk, swirl routine and Ginny gave her a little applause. Raven blushed, and did a cute little curtsy. "Thank you."

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            "Very nice, like the color," Draco grunted before going back to his parchment. Raven gave a small cry of indignation and flounced to a chair next to Draco. Ginny took the seat across from Raven. "Hopkins!" Draco shouted; Hopkins scurried out of the kitchens and bounced up to the table.

            "Yes Master Malfoy, what can Hopkins do?" Hopkins asked looking eagerly at the letter that Draco was now holding. 

            "Give this to Artemis, she'll know who to take it to," Draco said quickly. "And before you do that, tell Miss Wells that we're ready for dinner." Hopkins dashed into the kitchen and darted out a few moments later heading down the hall. A very tall woman who looked to be in her late twenties stepped out of the kitchen holding many pots and dishes, she looked like she was going to topple over, any second now. Ginny got up out of her chair.

            "Here let me help you with those," Miss Wells gave her a startled glance but handed over two of the five dishes that she was holding.

            "Thank you Miss," She breathed heading over to the table where Draco was sending Ginny a death glare. Miss Wells sat down her dishes and took the ones that Ginny was holding and set them down on the table. She gave a little bow to Draco and practically skipped to the kitchen as Ginny took her seat.

            "You aren't supposed to help my house servants," Draco snapped, lifting the lid off of a pot.

            "Well she was going to drop all of them!" Ginny snapped back at him. "What did you want me to do? Just sit there and let her drop them so that there would be a big mess for her to clean up on the floor?" Draco nodded, Ginny snorted and served Raven some food. Throughout the whole dinner Draco and Ginny kept shooting glares at each other when they thought Raven wasn't looking, or at least Ginny was, Draco didn't care whether or not Raven saw him glaring at Ginny.

            Raven sat quietly in her seat, swinging her feet under the table, sensing the tension in the dining room. She snuck glances at Draco and Ginny when they weren't looking, a little girl plan forming in her head, she grinned and let out a little giggle. Both Ginny and Draco's head snapped in her direction.

            "What?" Draco snapped.

            "Oh nothing," Raven answered taking a bite of her steak, keeping her eyes on Ginny who was scowling at Draco for snapping at her like that.

            "Malfoy, you really shouldn't snap at Raven, she's just a little girl." Ginny said looking at Draco cautiously. "When you hired me for this job, the ad said that I would be babysitting for one child, not two." Ginny said, smiling at her clever insult. Raven looked confused.

            "I am not acting like a child," Draco said grumpily. "Raven started everything." Ginny grinned, how predictable.

            "I did not!" Raven argued.

            "Did too."

            "Did not."

            "Too."

            "Not."

            "Too."

            "Not times 1000." Ginny was now grinning with both eyebrows raised, this was so easy.

            "Okay, okay," Draco said frowning, "Point taken." Ginny mouthed an ' I-told-you-so,' and Draco sneered at her. When they were finished with dinner Draco left to go to one of his libraries. Ginny took Raven up to her room, which meant Ginny was wondering around for five minutes until Hopkins found them and helped them find the rooms. 

            Ginny convinced Raven to take a bath and get in the bed, and left her room shutting the door quietly behind her. Now she just had to remember was her room to the right or the left. She tried a few doors and finally found her room. She walked in and looked at it more closely this time. It was decorated in dark purple, with green and black. The room was very elegantly furnished. She walked over to one of the other doors in the room and it opened up into a large bathroom with a shower and separate Jacuzzi Wiz bathtub. She walked back into her room and grabbed her pajamas and took a hot bath; and then went to bed. It was a very soft bouncy bed, just perfect; the kind princesses sleep on, she thought before falling asleep. 

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            Ginny's eyes flew open; she was sweating heavily in the bed. She crawled slowly out of from under her covers and swung her feet to the floor, she bit her tongue to keep from crying out; the floor was icy cold. _How does it get so cold in the summer? She asked herself. She tried again slowly and ran to her slippers and put them on. Her throat felt dry, she decided to try finding the kitchens to get a drink._

            She slipped out of her room quietly and went down what she thought was the right hall. Wizards in portraits that lined the walls watched her closely as she was wandering the halls trying to find the kitchen. She was walking for ten minutes before she thought she heard footsteps behind her. She whipped her head around; there wasn't anybody behind her. Ginny shivered goose bumps appearing on her skin. She started walking again, this time more quickly.

            "Boo!" The voice whispered in her ear. She started to scream when a cold hand covered her mouth. The voice chuckled, "Relax Weasley, it's just me." Draco said removing his hand from her mouth. "Are you lost? Figures, this is probably the biggest house you've ever been in, eh?"

            "Yes I'm lost, I can't even find the freaking kitchen," Ginny snapped at him. "And don't sneak up on me like that." She shivered; it felt like there was a cold breeze blowing through the hall. She looked down at what she was wearing, some of her brother's old boxers and a thin grey spaghetti strap shirt. No wonder she was cold. She glanced over at Draco; he was wearing silk pajama bottoms and…nothing else. Her eyes widened a bit at the sight of his muscled chest, sure she had brothers…but he wasn't her brother was he? No, of course not.

            Draco started walking off; Ginny was still planted to the floor, shivering. "Well? Aren't you coming, I'll show you where the kitchen is." Draco said a bit impatiently. Ginny widened her eyes and followed, crossing her arms and shivering some more. "Cold?" Ginny nodded. He stopped in front of a door and opened it; Ginny recognized it as his room and stood outside the door. He must have led her back to the hallway where their bedrooms were. Draco came out and tossed a black robe her way. She caught it and pulled it on over her head. It smelled like him, like his cologne, spicy and manly, a very good smell; she breathed it in as deeply as she dared trying not to let him hear her.

            A minute later they arrived at the kitchens. "What do you want?" Draco asked getting a glass and filling it up with water, then taking a sip of it.

            "Water would be nice," He magicked a cup over to her and she filled it up at the sink.

            "So why did you really take this job?" Draco asked eyeing her in his robe; he had to admit that she looked good in it, even though it was too big for her.

            "My mum, she wanted me to get a job, so I took the first one that I could, and I like kids." She said taking a sip of the water; it felt good on her dry throat. "Why are you watching Raven? Is she yours?" Draco snorted.

            "Raven is NOT mine, she's my cousins'. They left to go on a trip for the ministry this summer and my mom volunteered me to watch her. I don't have time to watch her, so I placed an ad for an au paire." Draco said draining his glass and setting it in the sink.

            "Oh," was all Ginny said. She finished her water and set the glass in the sink. "So then I'm guessing you aren't married." Draco gave her an amused look.

            "No, I'm not." He said walking out of the kitchen. Ginny followed him not wanting to get lost again. "Shouldn't you be married to scar face or something?"

            Ginny blanched, "Um, no, I think he's too busy to be married."

            "So in other words, you think he hasn't paid you enough attention for him to like you and want to get married to you?" Draco said as Ginny quickened her step so that she could walk beside him. She blushed.

            "That isn't what I said."

            "But it's what you wanted to say."

            "So," Ginny said bowing her head. How did he guess? "Why do you care…and how did you…know?"

            "I could tell by the way that you said it; it was really obvious." Draco said quickly so that Ginny could tell that he didn't really want to elaborate. They started up a flight of steps, one that Ginny hadn't been on earlier. She didn't know how she was ever going to learn her way around here.

            "Um, Malfoy, I don't think that I'm ever going to be able to learn my way around here."

            Draco snorted, "Too big?" Ginny nodded. "Well, actually if you just pay attention to what colors the walls are in different parts of the house it isn't that easy to get lost. Near the libraries the walls are grey…" and Draco went to explain to her about wall colors helping her find out where she was and how to get to where she was going, Ginny personally felt that having different colored walls that like was pretty peculiar. They stopped in front of doors, and Ginny recognized the doors, after a few moments delay, as the doors to their bedrooms.

            Draco and Ginny just stood there not really saying anything, but looking at each, other studying each other. Draco didn't know if it was just the fact that Ginny was in his robes or that he was increasingly tired but he found her very alluring at that moment. Ginny was…well Ginny was currently immersed in staring at his chest, and sometimes alternating for his eyes, either seemed very attractive to her. Without saying anything Draco took a step closer to her, and she took an involuntary step closer, while her mind was screaming, _what do you think that you're doing? _

            For a moment neither of them moved. Then, without being able to control himself, Draco bent down to kiss her, only he didn't quite make it, because that's when Raven started screaming.

            Ginny and Draco jumped apart quickly, and Ginny rushed into Raven's room. Draco sauntered over to the doorway slowly and watched Ginny kneeling beside the bed murmuring comforting things into Raven's ear. Apparently, she had a nightmare, and it was about 'boogies' in the closet. Draco smiled when he saw Raven motioning wildly to describe the 'boogie' for Ginny. And Ginny nodded quickly, and got up to walk over to the closet.  Once there, she pretended to say some magic words that would get rid of the 'boogie'. There was a faint, "Thank you," made by Raven after Ginny had given her a night-night hug and kiss. 

            Ginny came out of the room and shut the door behind her. She leaned back against the door and sighed, "The 'boogie' has been banished."

            "That was one hell of a spell you mustered up there, and without a wand too." Draco said sarcastically, leaning against the wall.

            "I would have waved my wand about too, if I'd had it with me." Ginny said grinning up at him; Draco returned a lazy grin.

            "That little girl really has you whipped doesn't she?" Draco said teasingly.

            "I could say the same to you; your demands aren't even at half-mast."

            "Shut up, and good night," Draco said maneuvering around her and walking into his room. Ginny slumped against the door and slide to the ground, pulling Draco's robes around her tighter, trying to lose herself in the smell.

~

            The next morning Ginny woke up with her neck aching. She opened her eyes and realized that she was still slumped against Raven's door. She let out a little groan, why hadn't she gotten in bed?

            "Ah!" Ginny screeched, as the door had just been pulled open behind her. She fell down and hit her head on the floor, hard.

            "Oopsies," Raven said putting her little hand over her mouth. Draco skidded out of his room with a tie hanging limply around his neck. He gave Raven a reprimanding look, "What?" Raven asked holding her hands up. "All I did," she said slowly, "was open the door, and BOOM! Dinny hit her head on the floor." Raven glanced at the unconscious Ginny, and then said knowledgably, "Maybe you should do that muggle thing where one person puts their mouth over the other person's and breathes in there for them."

            Draco rolled his eyes, "That's only if she isn't breathing, and I hardly think that hitting your head would make you stop breathing."

            "_Drakey," Raven said pointedly. "__I didn't hit my head, Dinny did." Draco glared at her and she smiled innocently at him. Draco knelt down beside her and felt a neck for her pulse and established that fact that there was indeed one; and of course she was breathing._

            Draco picked her up and carried her to her room. He dropped her with a plop on her bed and went to get his wand out of his room. Raven was standing by Ginny's bed; she climbed up and knelt beside Ginny. She put a little finger to her eyelid and tried to pull it open, and Ginny's eye stared back at her dully. Raven giggled and lay down next to her.

            Draco came back in the room, "Get down Raven." He said bleakly. Raven stuck her tongue out at him and he cocked an eyebrow at her. He mumbled a reviving spell and Ginny's eyes fluttered open slowly. She groaned and reached up to touch the back of her head.

            "Yay! Dinny's alive!" Raven shouted into Draco's ear; Draco winced and glared over at her.

            "Mind turning down the volume, pipsqueak?" Draco said frostily.  Raven 'hmph'-ed at him and crossed her arms turning her nose up at him. "Are you okay, Weasley?" He asked looking as if he could care less. Ginny nodded, Draco started doing up his tie, and Ginny got out of her bed. She paced around and started at Draco's tie.

            "Your tie is crooked." She said walking over to him and unknotting it. He looked down at her practically on her tip-toes (**A/N: I'm exaggerating!) trying to do up his tie; his eyes widened at her boldness.**

            "I don't need your help," he scowled trying to push her away.

            "Don't be such a meany, let me do it," Ginny said frowning up at him still working on his tie. "There! All better," Ginny patted the tie and smiled at him good-naturedly. 

            "Thanks," Draco hissed and stalked out of the room.

**A/N: Okay, that's the end of this chapter. I tried to make it longer for you! Oh, I have most of the next chapter written but it's in my spiral, so I guess you guys will have to wait for me to make the finishing touches on it and type it up, which should take…a day. Please Review!**

**Thank You to:**

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Starwriter (my beta), Silvermoon (my other beta), Erised, DRACOfanatic, ten miles til midnight, Ice Princess, Liz, the-archress, pursin, Eva, the PINK princess, Adela H., LadyJenn2314, Rose Black (the First), Ashley, Lunamooncat, jenni, Juliet, Sum41girl2k, Katie S., com, Princess Cora, Kat, FireLily55, ittybittytreefrog,  seekerpeeker, zumamoonlight, Cait, Caitie78, Wyltk, Princess of Mordor, Vie, stormyfire, Gin, SilverLining, hogwartsgirll228, Phoenix Wing Star, lilyayl, RM, Nicole, cosmos, coconut, hells, fourtunate-angel, M. White, Blythe, Becky, silence, Caitlin, Milkyweed, Mystical Kiwi, Sheena, elen, manda, zoobigigi, Alina, Kat, Katie S., jenni,  

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	5. A Suprise Ending

**A/N: Thank you very much for all of your reviews! Here's chapter five! Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I promise that I don't own ANYTHING.**

**Chapter 5: A Surprise Ending**

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That night, Draco apparated back home after work, and tossed his cloak on the sofa in his first floor library. He was tired, just because his father had gotten him a top job at the ministry didn't mean that spared him any of the hard work that came with it.  Today he had to put up with two angry heads yelling at him from his office fireplace. Flopping down into his favorite high-backed chair, he shut his eyes and enjoyed the silence.

The silence was broken by running and staggered footsteps coming down the hall.  Ginny's voice, though slightly altered to sound more evil, rang out "I will get you little princess! Your prince isn't here to save you now!"

"My prince will come! Just you wait, Evil Queen!" Their footsteps came closer to his door. "_Oh what the hell."__  He muttered and threw open the door just as Raven was walking by._

"Ah," he said in mock braveness, "my fair princess, your prince has arrived." Raven positively beamed at him. Ginny a few feet behind stopped in her tracks, eyes widening. Draco raised his eyebrows and signaled for her to continue.

"You will not take her!" Ginny growled, limping dramatically over to them. "She is my captive!" Raven gave a little squeal and hid behind Draco, clutching his trousers.

"You will not have her, she is _my princess." Draco said boldly stepping up to Ginny and pulling out his wand. Ginny grinned and drew hers out. They stood in a dueling position.  Raven, grinning from ear to ear, cowered behind Draco._

Draco brandished his wand and struck Ginny's like it was a sword. Ginny smiled and began to duel Draco with her wand.  The duel raged on and Draco started to smirk.  In one graceful movement he maneuvered himself behind Ginny and had one arm across her shoulders and the other one pulling her free arm behind her back.  He had her tightly pinned against his chest.  She tried to wriggle out of his hold to no avail.

"A little something I learned in fencing Evil Queen, now drop your sword; the princess is mine."

"Draco, let me go."  Draco grazed Ginny's ear with his lips.  "Not until the Queen drops her sword."  Her hand relaxed and the wand rolled from her fingertips and dropped to the floor.  Draco started to snicker in her ear.  "Malfoy!"  Ginny began to struggle and turned her head only to have her lips brush against the soft flesh of his.  Jumping apart like scalded cats Draco and Ginny started stuttering apologies.

Raven cooed, "Now that's a surprise ending!  I've never heard a story where the Evil Queen and the Prince fall in love." Draco turned and gave Raven a death glare while Ginny was blushing with her head down.

            Draco glared at Raven.  "We are not in love."   Raven, looked at them sweetly and nodded acting like _they were the four year olds and had just told a big fib._

            "You guys kissed!" She said in a singsong voice. "Drakey and Dinny kissed!" Then she started jumping around in the hallway. "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!"

            Draco glared at her, "We did _not kiss."_

            "Oh yes you did!" Raven said jumping around them. "You kissed!" 

 "Raven honey, I think we should go get you ready for dinner and drop this whole thing. It was a mistake, and didn't mean anything. Okay? Just let it go, you too _Drakey." Ginny said calmly, yet still looking at Draco a bit nervously._

"Okay," Raven said.  No one noticed her little fingers crossed behind her back…

~

"Dinny?" Raven asked a bit nervously. "Do you have a boyfriend?" Twisting a lock of hair in between her fingers, Raven eyed Ginny waiting for her response.

"Not right now," Ginny answered slowly. "Why?" Ginny looked over at Raven who was sitting by a big pink dollhouse; she was watching Ginny closely.

"I-I was just wondering," Raven said turning back to her dollhouse and picking up her two favorite dolls, a man with blonde hair and a woman with red hair.

"Is this about…some boy that you like?" Ginny asked lying on her stomach on Raven's bed; grinning girlishly at her.

Raven scrunched up her face, "Ew, no," she sat back on her knees and looked at Ginny curiously.  "Have you ever had a boyfriend with blond hair?"

Ginny eyed Raven suspiciously, "No…"

"I think blond hair is nice, don't you?"

"I suppose.  Why are you asking?"

"Would you marry a boy with blond hair?" Raven asked wiggling her eyebrows.

Ginny sighed loudly. "Raven, what exactly are you getting at?" 

"Do you think that Draco is cute?" Raven smiled at her wickedly, and giggled.

"RAVEN!  This is not something that I really want to talk about, okay?" Ginny's cheeks burned a bright pink.

"Okay, okay," Raven said holding her hands up.

"Well then," Ginny said getting off her bed, "We need to get you ready for dinner." Ginny walked over to Raven's closet and pulled out a purple robe. "This is pretty, do you want to wear it?"

Raven got up with her dolls still in her hands, "Okay." Ginny helped her get dressed. "Dinny, can I help you get ready?" Ginny looked at her quizzically.

"Sure," she answered slowly.

"Yeah! Let's go!" Raven grabbed Ginny's hand and led the way to Ginny's room. Raven let go and then flopped onto Ginny's bed. Ginny looked at her a bit perturbed but shrugged, walking over to the closet. She pulled out a simple black robe with silver clasps; Raven wrinkled her nose.

"I don't think so Dinny." Raven walked over to the closet and yanked down the dark green robe; it fell and the hanger clattered on the floor. "Wear this one." Ginny eyed the robe wearily. Hermione had given it to her last Christmas, and it was rather low cut, Ginny hadn't worn it yet.

~

            Raven was trying to pull Ginny into the dining room. "Dinny! You look purdy!" Draco who was already sitting at the table was frowning in their direction. Raven was now jerking and pulling on Ginny's hand.

            "I don't know why I let you talk me into wearing this!" Ginny exclaimed from the other side of the door. "Just let me go back to my room and change." Draco smirked and pushed back his chair and walked to the door, Raven saw him and gave him a pleading look. He nodded and she grinned up at him. Raven held on to Ginny's hand long enough for Draco to reach over and grab her hand. Ginny gasped and Draco pulled, causing Ginny to fall into the dining room, straight into Draco's chest. Ginny looked up at him and caught her breath, he was grinning devilishly down at her bosom.

            She shoved away from him, "You pervert!" Ginny snarled.

            Draco raised an eyebrow, "It's not my fault you're wearing that."

            Ginny rolled her eyes, "You don't _have to look." Draco smirked and shifted his gaze to her legs, which were exposed due to the shortness of the robe._

            "That better?" He asked complacently; Ginny groaned.

            "Could you just not look at me at all?" Ginny asked shortly; Draco snickered.

            "I could _try." Ginny walked over to the table and sat down, crossing her arms over her chest. Raven was giggling behind her hand._

            Ginny frowned over at Raven, "It's your fault that I'm wearing this."

            "You let a four-year-old decide what you wear?" Draco asked faking genuine interest. Ginny went slightly pink.

            "Well I --." Draco cut her off.

            "It doesn't matter." He called Hopkins who went to get Miss Wells to bring in dinner.

~

            The next few days were uneventful. Draco and Ginny tried to ignore each other, while Raven tried to get them together. On Friday night an hour before dinner they were all sitting in one of Draco's libraries. Ginny was reading Raven a book, and Draco was doing some work.

            "Malfoy?" Ginny asked softly. "Do I get a day off? You can't really expect me to stay here all summer without a break."

            Draco looked at her brows furrowed, "A day off? What am I going to do with Raven?"

            "I don't know, aren't _you supposed to be the one watching her this summer anyways?"_

            "What day is it that you want off?" Draco said changing the subject.

            "Saturday, I'm going somewhere with some friends…or at least I'm supposed to."

            "I didn't say that I wanted to know your plans." Draco said callously. Ginny glared at him, and Raven was watching them raptly. "Saturday…" he murmured. "Okay, I guess you can have Saturday off."

            Ginny rolled her eyes, "Thanks boss."

Draco was getting ready to say something else, but Hopkins came in the room. "Master Malfoy, a letter has arrived." He handed Draco the letter and scurried out of the room.

            Draco scanned through the letter, "HOLY SHIT! DAMMIT! I can't believe I forgot!" He bellowed.

Raven widened her eyes and her mouth made a perfect 'o' shape. "Drakey has a potty mouth."

A/N: ER…hehe sorrie it's taken me so long to update. Okay, thanks to every one who volunteered to be a beta-reader. I found one!!! But if I even need another one, don't doubt that I'll go back to look at my reviews!!

Please Review!!!


	6. Mr Murray Comes to Visit

**A/N:** I hope you guys like it. : ) Anything weird is contributed to the fact that I had three pineapple popsicles before writing this.   
  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything you recognize.   
  


Chapter 6  
  


"Shit!" Draco led on a string of curses, and Ginny had her hands clapped over Raven's ears. Draco jumped out of his seat and started pacing the room furiously, and cursing quite colorfully. Raven with wide eyes started humming her "My Little Unicorn" song again.   
  
"What the hell is it?" Ginny shouted.   
  
"This letter," he said flinging the letter up. "The head of the department that I want to be transferred into is coming to dinner in an hour.   
  
"So?" Ginny asked; Draco let out a growl of frustration.   
  
Through clenched teeth he said, "I told him that I have a fiancé; because he favors guys who are going to start a family. I _was_ going to get Pansy or Blaise to pretend for me, but Pansy just got engaged to Goyle, and Blaise is currently not on speaking terms with me. I have no idea what to do! I need a fake fiancé for tonight." Ginny had taken her hands off of Raven's ears and Raven was lying down with her head in Ginny's lap, looking up tiredly at Draco.   
  
"What department is this that you want to work for?" Ginny asked curiously while playing with Raven's hair.   
  
"The Department of Magical Law Enforcement," Draco said slumping back down into his chair.   
  
"Who's the head of that department?"   
  
"Jerald Murray, he's…old fashioned, he's all about guys trying to make a living for their families." Draco said bitterly. "And it just so happens that I _want_ a job in that department, but I don't want to get married." Then Draco looked over at Ginny, and eyed her with a devilish glint in his eye. "Oh Weasley…"  
  
Ginny glanced at him warily, the tone of his voice made her nervous. "What?"   
  
"Well, you_ are_ a woman; a woman that I might add is conveniently located under my roof," he stated, smirking at her.   
  
"No way, there is no way that I'm going to pose as your fiancé!" Ginny said recognizing the suggestiveness of his tone.   
  
"Oh come on Weasley! What's it going to hurt? Next week I can just tell him that I caught you cheating on me and it'll all be over."   
  
"Me? Cheat on you…wait! There is_ no_ way on earth that I'm going to do it. What if my dad hears about this? Or one of my brothers?" Ginny asked, jolting Raven who gave her an angry look.   
  
"How do you know that they will? You could have a fake name," Draco said, beseechingly. Ginny eyed him suspiciously.   
  
"I have very distinctive Weasley features, how could someone mistake me for coming from a different family?" She asked sighing loudly. "Besides, what have you ever done for me that would make me _want_ to help you?"   
  
"Nothing, but if you do this for me…" he trailed off.   
  
"Malfoy, I already told you that I wasn't going to do it." Raven was watching with rapt attention, trying to figure out what exactly was going on.   
  
"Come on Weasley! I'll pay you 30 Galleons!" Draco said exasperatedly.   
  
"What do you think I am? Some cheap whore?" Ginny's eyes widened and she looked down at Raven. "Please excuse my language."   
  
Raven grinned up at her, "Okay."   
  
Draco rolled his eyes, "Don't you need the money? What could it hurt? It's just for one night."   
  
"What could it hurt? It could hurt my reputation!" Ginny half shouted at him.   
  
"Dinny?" Raven broached carefully.   
  
Ginny's gaze softened as she looked back down at Raven, "Yes?"   
  
"Can I pretend to be the daughter?" Raven asked smiling sweetly. Draco snorted, and started laughing. Ginny looked over at him and glared.   
  
"Raven…"Ginny started, not sure what to say to her. "When people have a fiancé that means that they're engaged, not married. So usually they don't have children."   
  
Raven gave her a sly smile, "Does that mean that you're going to help Drakey?" Draco smiled at Raven, and she blushed a little.   
  
"No, I'm not going to help him, he doesn't deserve it." Ginny said a little less firmly than she had intended.   
  
Raven stuck out her lower lip, "But I want you to help him."   
  
Ginny heaved an exasperated sigh, and looked down a Raven imploringly. "Why?"   
  
"Because I like Drakey, and he's my prince." Raven said glancing over at Draco pointedly. "Please Dinny."   
  
Ginny looked over at Draco, and glared, as if to blame him for Raven's behavior. He just smiled and shrugged. "I'll do it on one condition". Raven beamed at Ginny, and snuggled against her. Ginny brushed her hair with her fingers absently.   
  
"What condition?" Draco asked.   
  
"Teach me how to fence?" Ginny said a bit nervously.   
  
"Fencing lessons?" Draco asked, looking at Raven who was grinning at him peevishly. Ginny nodded. "Why do you want fencing lessons?" Draco asked.   
  
Ginny shrugged, "It'll sound good at parties, 'Hi, my name is Ginny and I can fence, what can _you_ do?'"   
  
Draco laughed, "Okay."   
  
"You'll give me fencing lessons, and I'll pretend to be your fiancé for tonight only." Ginny said firmly. Draco looked at Raven again who was grinning at him…a bit suspiciously.   
  
Draco held out his hand, and they shook on it. "Deal. I'll have Hopkins bring you up some nicer robes." Ginny scowled at him.   
  
"My robes are fine," she said scornfully.   
  
"No they aren't, they're synthetic. Like a Malfoy would ever even consider marrying a woman with indecent robes. Or…" he said with a sly grin, "You could wear that green robe again." Ginny stalked out of the room, holding Raven's hand, and slammed the door. Draco chuckled to himself.   
  
Ginny was seated at the long dinning room table at Draco's side, with Raven next to her. Mr. Murray was sitting on Draco's other side. Ginny was fully clad in one of the Malfoy's black silk robes with silver threads randomly woven through it. Though she hadn't wanted to wear it, she had to admit it was pretty. Draco was wearing a similar robe, minus the silver strands. Raven, against Ginny's advice, was wearing bubble gum pink; everything was bubble gum pink, her hair bow, her shoes, socks, robes, she had even talked Ginny into charming her fingernails to be pink.   
  
Mr. Murray was grinning affectionately at Ginny, sometimes alternating, and shifting his gaze towards Draco. Mr. Jerald Murray was an older man of about fifty-five; he was going bald and his remaining brown hair was graying.   
  
"So Mr. Malfoy, when, may I ask, is the wedding?" Mr. Murray asked taking a bite of his food. Draco glanced up from his plate to Ginny, who answered.   
  
"Oh, Mr. Murray, we aren't sure when we're going to have the wedding." Raven was watching them, grinning.   
  
"That's nice, it's good for young people not to get married right away," Mr. Murray said in a fatherly tone. Ginny saw Draco roll his eyes when Mr. Murray wasn't looking and had to stifle a giggle.   
  
Draco cleared his throat, "Yes sir, I quite agree, but Virginia and I can't wait to get married." Draco smirked at Ginny as he reached out and held her hand. She smiled at him sweetly, hoping desperately that Mr. Murray was falling for this.   
  
"Oh I'm sure you can't, you two look very in love." Ginny's eyes widened, and she almost jerked her hand away from Draco's. Draco blinked, and looked over at Raven who was giggling.   
  
"What is it Raven?" asked Draco.   
  
"They like to kiss," Raven said grinning wickedly, eager to put in her two cents. Draco snorted and Ginny let out a strangled cry.   
  
Mr. Murray smiled, "Do they kiss a lot?" He asked looking a Raven interested.   
  
"Oh, yes," Raven said, shooting Draco a sweet smile. "Yesterday, I found them kissing in a closet." Ginny clapped her hand to her mouth.   
  
"Erm, Raven…" she started. "Can we not talk about that?"   
  
"Why were you in the closet?" Mr. Murray asked, taking a sip of his water. Ginny glanced over at Draco, as if to say that he had to take this one.   
  
"Well, Virginia and I were getting something out of the closet," he paused, and smirked at Ginny, "and were over come with a bout of passion."   
  
Mr. Murray chuckled, "Always good to hear, always good to hear. How many children do you plan on having?"   
  
Ginny spoke up, "Well, I'd really like to have five children." She saw Draco pale.   
  
"I didn't want to have quite _that_ many," Draco said shooting her a glare. Mr. Murray caught it and grinned at them kindly.   
  
"Many disagreements come in a marriage." He said, glancing at Draco knowingly.   
  
"I want them to have ten," Raven piped up. Ginny smiled at Raven, and Draco sneered at her.   
  
Mr. Murray laughed, "Ten? That sounds like fun." Miss Wells came in and delivered their desserts, and Mr. Murray started in on his immediately. Evidently, he was fond of food.   
  
Draco dropped his napkin on the floor, and said, "Silly me, dropped my napkin. Virginia, can you see if you can reach it?" Ginny eyed him suspiciously, but bent over and looked under the table. She saw the napkin right by the foot of Draco's chair. Draco's head appeared next to hers. In a hushed whisper, he said, "I don't like the way this conversation is going!"   
  
"I don't like the way this night is going!" Ginny hissed back at him. Then they heard Raven giggling madly above them.   
  
"They're kissing!" They heard her muffled voice say. Ginny groaned and heaved herself back up, and saw a very cheery looking Mr. Murray. She glanced over at Draco, who had also resurfaced.   
  
"Raven, we weren't kissing, we were just trying to reach Mal-Draco's napkin." Ginny said sending Raven a warning look.   
  
"It's okay Virginia," Draco said looking at her smugly. "Why hid our love for each other?" Ginny grimaced. Mr. Murray was watching them with fascination, smiling a smile that made Ginny somewhat nervous.   
  
They had all finished their dinners and desserts, when Draco brought up another topic. "Mr. Murray, about the Director of Investigations position?" Mr. Murray glanced at Ginny and Raven.   
  
"Perhaps we could discuss this in your study? Over a glass of brandy?" Mr. Murray suggested.   
  
"You men go ahead, I'll go and get Raven ready for bed;" Ginny said happily, ready to get away. They left, and Ginny helped Raven out of her chair, and held her hand, leading her back to her room.   
  
Once inside Raven said, "Did you really kiss under the table?"   
  
"Of course not," Ginny said irritably.   
  
"Why not?" Raven asked as Ginny helped her out of her dress robes and shooed her into the bathroom.   
  
"Because we don't like each other," Ginny said stiffly.   
  
"Not even a little bit?"   
  
"Not even a little bit," Ginny said, feeling her stomach do an unfamiliar lurch. Ginny got Raven to take a bath, and into bed. After reading her five bed time stories she was finally able to leave the room an hour later.   
  
She stepped out of the room, and leaned against Raven's door and sighed loudly. Bringing her hands up she massaged her temples, hoping to rid herself of the headache that she was getting.   
  
Ginny pushed off of the door and headed towards her bedroom, only to be stopped by Draco's voice. "Well hello there Weasley."   
  
Ginny whipped her head around and stared at Draco as he approached with a mischievous grin on his face. "So Malfoy, did you get the job?"   
  
"Of course," he said smugly. "And Mr. Murray kept telling me what a cute couple we are."   
  
Ginny played dumb, "You and Mr. Murray? I'm not sure his wife would like that."   
  
Draco rolled his eyes at her. "Ha, ha, ha, very funny. You know very well that I was talking about you and me."   
  
Ginny shrugged, "So?"   
  
"So…. When do you want to start your fencing lessons?" He asked leaning against the wall.   
  
"I don't know, how about Sunday?"   
  
"Then Sunday it is."   
  
"What time is it?"   
  
Draco looked down at his watch, "It's eight thirty".   
  
"Do you have a chess set?" She asked looking up at him.   
  
He looked mildly surprised, "A few."   
  
"Let's play."   
  
"Okay, let's use the one in the library. But I warn you, I'm very good, excellent in fact."   
  
Ginny grinned at him, "I'm sure you are," and followed him to the library.   
  
  
  
***   
  
  
  
They were ten minutes into the game, and both had glasses of wine nearby. The game wasn't as serious as Ginny thought it would be. In fact, they were doing quite a lot of talking.   
  
"Why did you want the Director of Investigations position?" Ginny asked taking a sip of her wine and looking down at the board.   
  
Draco gave her a look, "I just did."   
  
"Come on, it was more than a passing whim otherwise you just wanted it, you wouldn't have needed me to play your fiancé tonight."   
  
He looked hesitant, "My father, I was given my current position because of him. He made all the arrangements without even asking me what I wanted to do. I hate it when he does that, making me feel like I owe him, that I'm dependant on him. I wanted to get a job on my own."   
  
"I always figured that you two were close, do you hate him?"   
  
"Hate isn't even a strong enough word," he said moving his knight.   
  
"What about your mother?" Ginny asked eyeing the pieces that were sitting on the chessboard.   
  
"I don't hate her. She is a good mother. She didn't bake me cookies, or fix my boo-boos when I was growing up though, but she loves me." Ginny smiled.   
  
"You love your mom?"   
  
Draco peered at her curiously, "Why all the questions about my parents?"   
  
"Curiosity. Why? Does it make you nervous to think that somebody might want to get to know you?" Ginny countered.   
  
"No, not really. I do love my mother," then he grinned, "most of the time."   
  
Ginny looked surprised, "What's that supposed to mean?"   
  
"Well, I guess I always_ love_ her, but I do dislike her sometimes. She has a tendency to spring things on me without giving me any notice. Take Raven for example, my mother just apparated into my dining room one morning and announced that she had volunteered me to baby-sit my cousins' daughter all summer. I don't think she even thought about what I might say about it…she's like that now, so spontaneous."   
  
"What do you mean she's like that now?"   
  
"She didn't use to be. Back in the days when Voldemort would come over for dinner," he smirked at Ginny's surprised face.   
  
"You're kidding right?" She asked taking a large swig of her wine.   
  
"Of course, but my father was around him quite a bit. I think she was scared of him, my father. But now that he doesn't have Voldemort around all the time, she's more comfortable."   
  
"Who'd blame her? I'd be scared if my husband was cronies with the Dark Lord! How did she put up with it?"   
  
"She didn't have a choice, and neither did I." Draco said in a tone that meant he didn't want to elaborate.   
  
"Oh," she said quietly.   
  
"What about _your_ family?" Draco asked with a glint in his eye.   
  
"Well, my parents, I love them dearly, but…well, they're always trying to get me to do stuff. Things that I don't want to do. This job for example," she said smiling at Draco, "it was my mother's idea. She said that she thought I was too old to be living at home without a job. I could tell she was really disappointed in me, that's why I came."   
  
"You still live at _home_?"  
  
Ginny glared at him, "Yes. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life. I still don't. Maybe I should work at a wizard daycare. It seems that I'm good with kids."   
  
Draco nodded, "You're great with Raven."   
  
"She's easy, you just have to…pay attention to her. That's all she wants, she wants to know that people love her, and she's happy. But she's also very sneaky, definitely Slytherin material."   
  
"Hey, there's nothing wrong with that, and its cunning, not sneaky."   
  
"That's the same thing!"   
  
"No, its not. So what did my cunning cousin do?"   
  
"She's been asking me weird questions and I don't like the looks she's been dishing out for the past few days." Ginny said moving a pawn.   
  
Draco looked at her amused, "Like what?"   
  
Ginny blushed, "Just…questions."   
  
Draco looked at her dubiously, "Just tell me."   
  
"Well, it was when I was in her bedroom with her yesterday. She was asking me questions about men." Ginny said taking another sip of her wine.   
  
"What kind?" Draco probed.   
  
Ginny grinned, "About men with blond hair."   
  
"Oh they were now?" Draco said putting a hand to his hair, and preened it conceitedly. "About me?"   
  
Ginny rolled her eyes, "I'm sure she was talking about you. Doesn't everyone? I mean, you're just the best thing in the world to talk about." Ginny said sarcastically.   
  
"Ouch Weasley, that hurts," Draco said while smiling.   
  
"I'm sure it does. What do you think about Raven?"   
  
"I-she's okay, I guess." Draco said swirling the wine around in his glass.   
  
"Okay? You didn't love her from the very moment you laid your eyes on her?"   
  
"Nope." Ginny leaned over the table and put her hand to his forehead.   
  
"No temperature, are you sure you're okay? How could you _not_ love Raven?" Ginny asked, frowning. "She is your second cousin."   
  
"She's annoying," he paused. "And so are you."   
  
"Me? I'm annoying? How I'm annoying?" Ginny said settling back in her chair, waiting for his answer.   
  
"You ask too many questions," he said simply.   
  
"Well I have to ask questions to get you to tell me anything about yourself." Ginny said testily.   
  
"Why do you want to know me? You'll probably never even see me again after this summer."   
  
Ginny blushed, "I don't know. I just-well, I thought since we're living under the same roof I should at least try to get to know you a little."   
  
"Should I get to know you?"   
  
"Only if you want to."   
  
"And if I do?"   
  
"Ask."   
  
"Do you still love Potter?"   
  
Ginny didn't respond for a moment, "Yes, and no."   
  
"Meaning?"   
  
"I love him, but I don't want to."   
  
"If you don't want to love him, just don't." Draco said looking at her, obviously confused.   
  
"It's not that easy…I don't know why I'm talking to you about this anyway. I've never talked to anyone about this…" Ginny trailed off nervously.   
  
"I asked."   
  
"Yes, you did."   
  
"Do you love anyone?"   
  
"No, I don't, I never have. Not anyone besides my mother." Draco said stonily.   
  
"Why not?" Ginny asked looking into the unlit fireplace.   
  
"I don't think that love is something to be-wasted. I'm saving any love that I have in me." He said frowning.   
  
"For what?"   
  
"Maybe someday, somebody will come along, and then I'll get a real fiancé." He said smiling at her.   
  
"Hah, you need a real fiancé." Ginny said smiling back at him, then she added, "I never thought you were the type of person to--."  
  
"Want to love somebody or to be loved? " Draco offered.   
  
"Something like that."   
  
"Everyone wants to be loved, Weasley," he said taking a big swig of his wine.   
  
"I just didn't think because-"  
  
"I'm Draco Malfoy. That's why you didn't think that I even thought about love." He said coldly.   
  
"I'm sorry," Ginny said meekly, and the chess game sat forgotten.   
  
Draco sighed, "It's okay. I didn't expect anyone to think that I would." He shrugged, "It's only natural that the cold, heartless person that I'm supposed to be wouldn't care."   
  
"I don't think you're heartless," Ginny said looking at him.   
  
"Why not?"   
  
"You believe in love. I don't think that anybody who believes in love can be heartless."   
  
Draco looked down at his watch. "Good God, it's one o'clock. Do you think that we should call it a night?"   
  
Ginny yawned, "Good idea." They trudged back to their rooms, heavy footed and tired. The stopped in-between their bedrooms and looked at each other awkwardly. "You know Malfoy, I had a nice time talking with you tonight," Ginny said breaking the silence.   
  
Draco cleared his throat, "I did too."   
  
"Oh!" Ginny said remembering something. "I do have Saturday off, right? Tomorrow?"   
  
Draco scowled, "Yes, you do."   
  
Ginny smiled at him, then stepped onto her tiptoes uneasily and kissed his cheek. Then went into her room and shut the door. Draco stared at the door, and brought his hand up to his cheek, he felt his stomach lurch, and shook his head. Then went to bed.   
  
  
  
**A/N:** Thanks to Natalie for beta-ing! A BIG SUPER thanks to her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   
  
Thank you for reviewing:   
  
**Liz, ****tipi**, ** babooshka** (actually, I started this fic with that movie in mind, but I think it's kind of a cross between that and 'Borrowed Hearts', and then of course my own juice, haha, thanks for your offer to beta! I'm so happy that you like my story!), **Dragonessa Smith**, **Cyn James**, **LadyTiger**, **Lucius**, **mjh-523**, **Michi**, **Mystical**, **Tiny Q**, **Knutte**, **Twistie**, **Jenn ** (I'm sooooo sorry! I didn't mean to do that to your 'wretched soul' lol), **Dark Angel, ****Kizna**, **seekerpeeker**, ** Friend**, **Omni**, **scm** (Thanks for your offer! It was greatly appreciated! I might call on you later to see if you want to beta another story for me *winks*), **Aileen** (Thank you so much for the offer! Might need you later!), **Coconut** (Thanks for the offer!), **A13TAT** (*squirms with delight* honored? To beta for little old me? Awww shucks), **stormyfire ** (thanks for the offer! I appreciated it VERY much), ** crazyme89 ** ( A beta reader is like an editor, they correct spelling mistakes, grammar, and help you with your wording and stuff like that),** hells** (thank you so so so much for the offer!), ** Iden's Garden** ( Would you mind if I asked you to beta another story?), **Debbie** (Thanks for the offer!), **Gnat10886**, **Lunacat**, **elen**, **Elenya** (Thank you for reviewing so much! Lolz, hehe your review about the tie made me laugh!), ** ~*Crystal Lily*~**, **Col. Hammer** (Thanks for the offer!), **ThE kIdD**, **kawaii ker**, **Adria ** (lol, loved your review!), ** prowess** ( of course I remember you! Thanks for the email and the review.), **angellinda**, ** Kitty Nicoe** (Hey you! Thanks for reading my story! Was greatly appreiciated…all the ones you've read! Hehez), ** JilseponieAngel**   
  
Now…off to eat my brownies before my brothers do.   
  
OH YEA! Please REVIEW!!!!!!!   
  



	7. Too Many Kisses

**A/N:** *looks sadly at readers* I'm very sorry to inform you that I am currently on groundation from my computer, and that is why I haven't posted as often as I usually do. In fact my computer was taken away and is now sitting in the dining room looking completely out of place while I have a black hole in my room. I WILL finish this story. Fear not my faithful readers.   
  
If any of you are wondering what I might have done to get something so drastic done to myself the answer is that I've been having some rough times. I haven't been myself, not thinking straight and have done some things that I really regret, my friends know what happened and I'm sorry I told you, I just didn't know who to tell. My problems shouldn't be your burden. But that wasn't exactly what got my computer taken away. I was having trouble keeping up on my independent study course and one night my dad just got really mad at me and took my computer. Now is one of my precious few minutes that I've been allowed to get on the internet.   
  
So I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I will post the next one as soon as I can.   
  
**Disclaimer:** I'm also very sorry to inform you all that I do not own Draco Malfoy, or any other characters in this story that you've seen in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books. In fact, I don't own anything except the plot, Raven, Mr. Murray, Miss Wells, and Hopkins…maybe a few more necessary original characters, but that's all.   
  
  
  
**Chapter Seven**   
  
  
  
Ginny woke up a little earlier than usual that morning despite having stayed up so late with Draco. When she had gotten up the first thing she did, like every morning, was run across the hall and check on Raven.   
  
She pushed Raven's door open quietly and peered in, and was surprised at what she saw. Her mouth literally dropped open. Was she dreaming? Draco was sitting cross-legged, hair mussed; only wearing his pajama bottoms, in front of Raven's dollhouse with her. He was holding onto the same blond haired doll that Raven had been playing with the night before. Raven was on her haunches next to Draco clutching the red haired doll. Ginny's stomach did a dive, she felt nervous about the distinct features of the dolls that were oh-so familiar.   
  
She cleared her throat to make herself known. Draco looked up at her sleepy-eyed; he clearly hadn't been awake for too long. Raven looked up at her and beamed, wide-awake. Ginny smiled at her, then looked over at Draco and arched an eyebrow. Before he could say anything in response Raven ran over to Ginny and threw herself at her. Ginny picked Raven up and gave her a warm hug, and kissed her forehead.   
  
"Morning Dinny!" Raven greeted, squirming out of Ginny's arms. "Drakey is playing dolls with me." She said happily, bouncing back to her seat next to the dollhouse.   
  
Ginny snorted and looked over to Draco who was glaring at her. "I can't help it if this little twerp came bouncing into my room this morning!" He said grinning.   
  
Raven wrinkled her face at him. "I did not! You came in here and woke_ ME _up." Draco smiled at her, "Did I?"   
  
"Yes," Raven insisted. "So you are a twerp."   
  
Draco feigned being hurt, "Me? A twerp? Raven…I'm so…upset that you would say that about me." He looked over at the little girl with big, sad, grey eyes.   
  
Even a four-year-old girl had to surrender to _those _eyes. Raven smiled at him, and then hugged him around his neck. "I'm sorry Drakey."   
  
"Apology accepted," came Draco's muffled reply. Ginny grinned at them, and sighed.   
  
"I'm going to be leaving after breakfast," she said moving from the doorway, towards them.   
  
Raven looked at her woefully, "Leaving?" she breathed. "You're leaving me and Drakey?" Her eyes shined with unshed tears.   
  
Ginny rushed to her side, and hugged her. "No silly, not like that. Today is my day off. I'm going to go out and do some other things. Draco is going to take care of you today."   
  
Raven glanced over at Draco uncertainly, and Draco wiggled his eyebrows at her. Raven giggled and buried her face into Ginny's neck, which caused her to erupt with giggles.   
  
When Ginny looked back at Draco his eyes were gleaming, filled with mischief. "Oh looky here, it seems as though Miss Weasley is_ extremely_ ticklish." He smirked at her rakishly.   
  
Ginny's eyes widened, "I-I'm not ticklish," she stuttered out.   
  
Draco grinned, "And you're such a bad liar."   
  
Raven peered at Draco curiously, "Are_ you_ ticklish?"   
  
Draco scoffed, "Me? Ticklish? Yeah, right." He folded his arms over his chest.   
  
The corner of Ginny's lip curled up, "Now who's the bad liar?"   
  
"What?" Draco said innocently. "I'm not lying."   
  
Ginny glanced over at Raven, "Well…there's only one way to find out…" and both girls pounced on him, tickling him furiously. He was, without a doubt, very ticklish. They had him begging for mercy, tears were streaming down his cheeks before they stopped. Raven hadn't been much help, she was laughing more than Draco. Ginny had gotten him good though, and now his sides ached.   
  
He just lay there on the floor silently trying to calm himself. He had_ never _been tickled like that,_ ever_. He sat up slowly, and deliberately; then looked over at Ginny, a devilish glint in his eyes. Ginny was giggling with Raven and didn't notice as he stealthily made his way toward them. When Ginny noticed, it was too late. He grabbed her waist and threw her onto the bed and attacked her sides, moving his fingers deftly, causing her to shake with laughter.   
  
Raven was sitting on the floor watching, her tongue caught in-between her teeth, her eyes shining gleefully.   
  
"Ah! Draco! Stop!" She shrieked between giggles. "I'll do ANYTHING!" She said between gasps of breath and giggles. "Please!" Ginny wailed, trying to stop laughing.   
  
Draco looked down at her, stopping for a moment. He quirked and eyebrow, "Anything?" Then proceeded to continue tickling her.   
  
"Anything!" She said through her squeals and giggles. Then he stopped and caught her eye. She closed hers', and when she opened them again; she was staring straight into his vibrant grey eyes.   
  
He smirked, and leaned down closer, putting his mouth near her ear, "Would you…" he trailed off, and Ginny gulped. "Cook us breakfast?" He pulled his head up and looked at her.   
  
She opened her mouth and had to stop herself from glaring at him. "Cook breakfast?" She repeated dubiously. Draco stepped back from the edge of the bed where he had been leaning over Ginny.   
  
He raked his fingers through his already, mussed hair. "Well, yes. Miss Wells is off today also."   
  
"I guess I could," Ginny said, eyeing him suspiciously. Draco waggled his fingers at her threateningly; her eyebrows shot up. "Actually, I could most definitely do it."   
  
Draco grinned, "That's more like it." Raven snuck up behind Draco and pushed the back of his knees. "What the-" and he fell forward into Ginny who was still lying back on the bed.   
  
Ginny groaned, "Ouch."   
  
Draco winced, "Ouch is right." He opened his eyes and looked down at Ginny's lips, which were only a few centimeters away from his own. He licked his lips. Her mouth parted slightly. He leaned forward and hesitated then abruptly stood back up and cleared his throat. "I guess we should let you go and make breakfast." He glanced over at Raven who was suddenly very pouty.   
  
"What's a matter with you? If I recall correctly, you are the one who did the pushing." Draco said a bit angrily.   
  
Raven stuck out her tongue and flounced onto her bed.   
  
***   
  
Ginny was standing at the stove cooking some bacon and pancakes. Raven was bouncing around the kitchen singing her "My Little Unicorn" song. Draco walked into the kitchen sniffing with his eyes closed   
  
"What are you cooking?" He asked standing behind Ginny and peering over her shoulder.   
  
"Bacon and pancakes," Ginny said moving away from the stove to stir the batter. Draco looked at the sizzling bacon, then to Ginny, and then to a plate of steaming bacon. Ginny came back to the stove and had poured some batter in a buttered pan.   
  
Draco looked over her shoulder and pointed to the plate of bacon, "Can I have some?"   
  
Ginny looked back at him and smiled, "No way! I'm not done yet.   
  
Draco frowned, "Come on, just one piece."   
  
"No, n-o." She said flipping a perfectly golden brown pancake over.   
  
"Do you cook at home?" He asked trying to distract her so he could grab a piece of the bacon. Ginny looked the other way and turned over the bacon so it wouldn't burn.   
  
"Yes, mom doesn't like to cook as much anymore," Draco reached out and grabbed a piece of bacon as Ginny turned back around. She put her hands on her hips and glared at him, "You put that bacon back right now!" Draco widened his eyes and put the bacon back on the plate.   
  
"Geesh," he said going to talk to Raven. Ginny grinned; that was way too easy.   
  
Raven started telling Draco about an episode of "My Little Unicorn" and started acting it out for him. He sat at a small table, smiling as he watched her. Ginny sighed happily and turned back to the stove to finish cooking breakfast.   
  
She finished and set a plate holding a stack of pancakes, a plate with bacon and some butter and syrup on the table; she poured a glass of milk for everyone. Ginny fixed Raven's plate for her and Draco grabbed three pancakes and four pieces of bacon and put one in his mouth watching Ginny, who was giggling. "What?" He asked with his mouth full.   
  
Ginny shook her head, "nothing…nothing," and sat down to fix her own plate.   
  
"So…" Draco started, "What are you going to do today?"   
  
"Well," Ginny said after swallowing a bit of pancake. "I think my friends and I are going to go see a muggle movie and some other things like that." Draco wrinkled his nose.   
  
"Muggle movie?" He asked taking a big sip of his milk.   
  
"They're fun," Ginny said giving him a look.   
  
"Whatever," and said and proceeded to stuff himself.   
  
"Mmm," Raven said licking her lips that were smothered with syrup. "This is yummy Dinny. Better than that eggs bedidick."   
  
Draco snorted, "Eggs Benedict." He corrected.   
  
Raven rolled her eyes, "Same thing."   
  
Draco took another sip of his milk, "Miss Wells is an okay cook."   
  
"Yeah, but she makes stuff that I can't say." Raven said getting syrup in her hair.   
  
Ginny got up and went to the sink; she got a wet rag and cleaned the syrup from Raven's hair. Raven wrinkled her nose at her, "Dinny! Stop that."   
  
"I'm done," Ginny said impassively putting the rag back. She also put her plate in the sink. "I'm going to go get ready now, so you guys are basically on your own today."   
  
Raven knitted her eyebrows together, "I have to spend all day with_ him_."   
  
"Excuse me, I'm right here," Draco said annoyed.   
  
Raven glanced at him, "So?"   
  
"So don't talk about me like I'm not here!"   
  
"Stop it you two," Ginny said grinning. "Yes Raven, you will be spending all day with him."   
  
Raven looked over at Draco mulling him over, "Ok."   
  
"Bye. Have fun today." Ginny said leaving the room. Then she poked her head back through, "Don't forget to put your dishes in the sink."   
  
"Yes, mother," Draco said mockingly.   
  
* * * * *   
  
Ginny apparated into her living room at home and saw her mother sitting in her rocking chair knitting. She looked up at Ginny and beamed, "Oh Ginny, you're home!" She dropped her knitting to the floor and rushed to Ginny and wrapped her up in a big bone-crushing mother hug.   
  
"Mother," Ginny wheezed. "Let go." Molly let go of her daughter and stepped back to look at her. "You act like I've been gone for years."   
  
"It seems like you have. It gets so lonely around here." Her mother said hustling Ginny into the kitchen. "Are you hungry? Do you need anything to eat? Some tea?"   
  
"No mum, I've just had breakfast." Ginny said sitting down at their scrubbed table. "I don't know how long I'll be here; I'm supposed to be going out with some friends today."   
  
Mrs. Weasley looked at Ginny a bit sadly, "Will you see me before you go back?"   
  
"I don't think so, we'll probably be out late. I'll come back a visit another day." Ginny said smiling.   
  
"Whom are you going out with?"   
  
"Colin, Maddie and Bryan," Ginny said popping her knuckles.   
  
"Don't do that honey. Those your school friends?" Mrs. Weasley asked, sitting at the table too.   
  
"Yes, Maddie and Bryan are going out now...and I think they're trying to set me up with Colin. Or at least Maddie is, she wants me to go with Colin…but he's just my friend." Ginny said looking over at her mother who was eyeing her suspiciously. "He _IS_ just my _FRIEND_! He is a boy who is my friend! There is a definite _SPACE_ between the words." She felt like a teenager again.   
  
"Okay, okay, I believe you." Her mother said putting her hands up defensively.   
  
Ginny rolled her eyes at her mother.   
  
"How's your job been?"   
  
Ginny sighed and smiled, "It's been great."   
  
"Having fun with the little girl?"   
  
"Oh, yes, she's cute, you just can't help but love her," Ginny said thinking of the tickling that went on earlier that morning.   
  
"That's good, I'm glad you're having fun."   
  
Ginny looked over at the kitchen clock and saw that all of her brother's hands were resting at 'home', where they were probably spending the day with their families. Even Harry had gotten a hand, but his said traveling. Ginny looked back over to her mother, "I'm going to go get ready to meet my friends, I'm supposed to apparate over to Maddie's house in an hour."   
  
Her mom nodded, "Okay." Ginny got up from the table and climbed the stairs to her room. The first thing she did was to fling herself onto her bed, and smelled her sheets. Her mother hadn't changed them; they were still exactly the same way that she had left them. Her whole room was exactly how she left it. Ginny smiled and rummaged through her make-up drawer for some that she hadn't taken to Draco's house. She applied some then yawned tiredly, she drifted back over to her bed and lay down...and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.   
  
* * * * *   
  
"So Drakey, what are we going to do?" Raven asked swinging her feet from her perch on the couch. Both she and Draco were in one of Draco's libraries and he was reading a book. Raven was starting to fidget.   
  
Draco looked up at her and shrugged, "I don't know."   
  
"I'm bored," she said getting up and skipping around the room.   
  
"Nice to meet you Bored, I'm Draco," he said looking back down at his book.   
  
"That wasn't very nice," Raven said slapping the book from his hand.   
  
Draco narrowed his eyes at her, "That wasn't either."   
  
"Teach me to play quidditch," Raven said smiling again.   
  
Draco rolled his eyes, "After what you just did? I don't think so."   
  
"Please Drakey! I'm so bored!" Raven said sitting down right in front of him, crossing her arms over her chest. She stuck her lower lip out and lowered her eyebrows. "Can you at least teach me how to fly?"   
  
"I guess I could--," Draco was cut off by a woman with pale hair like his apparating into the room.   
  
She smiled at him and sat down on the couch. "Hello Draco. Having fun with Raven?"   
  
Draco scowled at her, "I guess you could say that."   
  
Raven jumped off the floor and beamed, "Auntie Narcissi! Auntie Narcissi!" She ran over to Narcissa, jumped into her lap and hugged her tightly around her middle.   
  
Narcissa laughed and hugged Raven back, "Hey beautiful, it's nice to see you again."   
  
Raven released her and stepped back, "I'm having so much fun! Especially with Dinny!"   
  
"Dinny?" Narcissa asked curiously.   
  
"Yeah, Dinny she's Drakey's _girlfriend_." Raven said sticking her tongue out at Draco.   
  
"Her name is Ginny and she's_ not_ my girlfriend." A faint blush was appearing on his cheeks.   
  
Narcissa grinned at her abashed son, "Are you sure she isn't your girlfriend? Why haven't you told me about her? I _am_ your mother."   
  
"I didn't tell you because she isn't my girlfriend. She's Raven's governess." Draco said rolling his eyes and picking his book back up.   
  
"I'm sure," Narcissa stated mildly.   
  
Draco glared at her, "I'm serious! That's all she is _THE GOVERNESS! THE NANNY_!" He felt like a teenager again.   
  
* * * * *   
  
Ginny woke up and looked at the clock on her beside table. She had three minutes to get to Maddie's house. She jumped out of bed and pulled on her shoes. She waved her wand and disapparated, appearing in Maddie's living room seconds later.   
  
Maddie, Bryan and Colin were all sitting on couches waiting for her. She gave them all a sheepish grin. "Sorry I'm late."   
  
Colin glanced at a clock, "Actually you're right on time. We were just early." He smiled at her.   
  
Ginny smiled back and looked over at Maddie who had her head resting on Bryan's shoulder. "So where are we going?"   
  
Maddie set her brown eyes on Ginny, "The carnival."   
  
"The _carnival_? Isn't that a muggle thing?" Ginny asked taking a seat in an armchair.   
  
"Most things that we do are muggle things." Bryan said looking at her curiously. Ginny blushed. "Besides, it'll be fun...we always have fun."   
  
Ginny nodded, "Of course we do."   
  
Colin got out of his seat, "Come on then, let's go."   
  
Maddie picked up the crushed soda can from the table. "I got a portkey, it will transport us to Green Hills...or something like that."   
  
"Something like that?" Said Colin with raised eyebrows.   
  
"We're not going to be lost, we'll be near the carnival's gate, I just can't remember the name of the place, that's all."   
  
"Everybody ready?" Said Maddie. They nodded their heads and touched the portkey.   
  
They all walked on the carnival grounds, Maddie holding Bryan's hand and Ginny walking awkwardly next to Colin. Maddie saw a roller coaster and pointed to it excitedly, "I didn't know they had these at carnivals! Let's go! Come on!" She said dropping Bryan's hand and running towards it. Bryan followed after her chuckling and Colin and Ginny gave each other confused looks, but followed them just the same.   
  
They stood in line and when they finally got on the rides Maddie was paired with Bryan, as usual, and Ginny with Colin. Ginny looked over at Colin nervously, "I don't really like roller coasters."   
  
Colin raised his eyebrows, "You don't? Why not? They're a good thrill." And with that the roller coaster started up the steep rise, clicking forebodingly the whole way up. Ginny gripped the lap bar, and stared down at her feet. Colin laughed, "Come on Ginny, it'll be loads of fun. I bet after we get off you're going to be begging for another go."   
  
Ginny looked over at him and smiled weakly, "Maybe." Then the roller coaster plunged into a dive and Ginny let out a blood-curdling scream   
  
Colin reached over and grabbed one of her hands and she stopped, some how his grasp was oddly reassuring. He smiled at her and she didn't scream again, she just shut her eyes tight and enjoyed the excitement of the ride.   
  
When they got off Ginny's hair was wind-blown, her cheeks flushed, and she was grinning madly. "Oh my gosh, that was the best ride that I've ever been on." They all looked at her knowingly. "Can we do it again?"   
  
Colin put his hand on her shoulder, "Actually I'm hungry. Do you mind if we grab a bit to eat before we take another go?"   
  
"Not at all," Ginny said jovially. "What about you guys?" She said looking over at Maddie and Bryan.   
  
Maddie looked over at Bryan, "I don't mind, I'm quite hungry myself." Right on cue, her stomach growled.   
  
Bryan grinned at her, "I don't mind either."   
  
Colin took Ginny's hand, "Let's go then."   
  
Ginny looked at him curiously, but didn't let go of his hand. It had been a long time since she had had a boyfriend. Colin had been one of her best friends at Hogwarts and she knew that he was very sweet. She just didn't know if she liked him that way.   
  
* * * * *   
  
After Narcissa had left, Draco took Raven outside to his private quidditch pitch and was trying to teach her how to ride a broom.   
  
"Like this?" Raven asked sitting on the broom sideways.   
  
"No, it's not a horse, put one leg on either side." He said demonstrating.   
  
"But I'll slide off."   
  
"Not if you hold on." Raven climbed onto the broom like she was supposed to. "Now push off the ground a little."   
  
Raven pushed and rocketed off, shouting gleefully as she went, "Weee!!!!"   
  
"Oh gods," Draco muttered under his breath and took off after her. Raven slid off her broom and started free falling. With Draco's ex-seeker skills he dove after her and caught her in mid air.   
  
Raven looked at him wide eyed and clutched at his robes, "My hero!" she cooed, causing Draco to smile.   
  
* * * * *   
  
"So, I heard from your mum that you have a job," Maddie said pleasantly. They had all sat down in a restaurant just outside of the carnival and had already placed their orders.   
  
Ginny looked over at her, "Yes I do."   
  
"Well, what are you doing?" Bryan prompted.   
  
"I'm an au paire…a governess for a little girl." Ginny said smiling.   
  
Maddie wrinkled her nose, "Taking care of a little kid all day? That doesn't sound like fun. Who's your boss?"   
  
Ginny looked over at Maddie, slightly peeved. "Draco Malfoy."   
  
Colin's eyes almost popped out, "Malfoy has a daughter?"   
  
Ginny giggled, "No. Raven is his cousin; he has to watch her this summer."   
  
"Then why isn't he? Why are you doing it?" Maddie asked.   
  
"Because he has to work."   
  
"How can you work for that slimy git?" Colin asked still amazed.   
  
"He's not a slimy git," Ginny said lowering her eyebrows. "He's…nice, you just have to get to know him."   
  
"Ooo, Ickle-Ginny-Kins has a crushy-wushy," Maddie said smirking at Ginny teasingly.   
  
Ginny blushed, "I do not!"   
  
"Then why are you defending him?" Bryan asked slyly.   
  
"I'm not defending him!" Ginny said angrily. "Excuse me," and she got up and made her way towards the women's bathrooms.   
  
Maddie looked at her, her eyes widening in surprise. "Oh my gosh, she really does like him."   
  
Colin looked jealous. "She said she didn't."   
  
"I'm going to go see her," Maddie said getting out of her seat and following Ginny into the bathroom.   
  
Once she was gone Bryan said, "That's what she wants us to think."   
  
"She doesn't! She can't like him!" Colin said staring down at the table. "She can't."   
  
  
  
"Oh Ginny!" Maddie called stepping into the bathroom. She saw Ginny standing at the sinks with her hands resting on the edge of the counter, staring down at a faucet.   
  
"I don't like him," she said, mostly sounding like she was trying to reassure herself. "I don't." She looked up into the mirror and stared at Maddie. "I don't."   
  
Maddie looked at her a bit perturbed, "Okay. You don't like him, I was just kidding you." However, Maddie didn't look convinced one bit. Ginny looked so determined in saying it, that there was no way that she couldn't like him. No way. "Let's go back out to the table; I'm sure our food is there."   
  
Ginny sighed, "Okay." And she let Maddie lead her back out to the table.   
  
Colin and Bryan were sitting at the table having a hushed conversation that stopped abruptly as soon as they saw Maddie and Ginny. They took their seats again, their food was already there, and they started to eat. The conversation started up again, but no one mentioned Ginny's job, or Draco Malfoy.   
  
* * * * *   
  
They were back in Draco's library; Draco was too scared to take Raven out flying again. He didn't want anything to happen to her, not that he doubted his abilities to protect her; he just didn't want to take any chances. Raven was sitting on the couch again and Draco in his chair behind his big polished oak desk.   
  
"Drakey," Raven started. "Can you read me a book?"   
  
"Like what?"   
  
"Dinny brought a lot of books," Raven said jumping off of the couch.   
  
"Where are they?"   
  
"In her room." Draco looked at her hesitantly.   
  
"We can't go in there."   
  
"Why not? We're just getting books," she said looking at him oddly.   
  
"It's _her_ room," he stressed.   
  
"It's your house," Raven said stubbornly. "And we can pretend that we're spies!"   
  
"What?"   
  
"We can sneak in the hallways, and…ooo! It'll be fun! Come on Drakey!" Raven pleaded, lying on the floor and grabbing his trouser leg. "Puh-lees?" She begged, clutching his leg as he stood up.   
  
"Okay, we'll do it." He said taking a step, and Raven with him. He took another, and another, and Raven still held onto his leg, giggling madly. He drug her across the floor to the door and peered down at her menacingly. "Get off my leg."   
  
Raven grinned at him, "You got to say please."   
  
Draco looked down at her grudgingly, "Please?"   
  
"Okay," Raven said bouncing off of the floor and grabbing his hand. "Let's go."   
  
Raven pushed the door open quietly and popped her head out, scanning the halls for any sign of life. Draco looked at her oddly. "Raven? What are you doing?"   
  
Raven turned back to glare at him, she put her finger to her lips, "We're spies," she hissed quietly. Draco made an 'o' shape with his lips and followed her silently through the door. Draco shut the door softly behind him and had to use every ounce of self-control not to burst out laughing. Raven had her back pressed up against the wall, flattening herself to it. She had her eyebrows lowered and was staring intently at the opposite end of the hall. Then she looked back over at Draco, "Get against the wall!" She barked. Draco got up against the wall.   
  
* * * * *   
  
Bryan sat back and patted his full stomach, and grinned over at Maddie, "I'm stuffed; they sure do give you_ huge_ servings here."   
  
Maddie quirked and eyebrow at him, "If I remember correctly you asked for a larger serving."   
  
Bryan rolled his eyes, "It's not like I knew that it was going to be that big."   
  
"Um, guys? Do you think that we could go? Instead of arguing?" Ginny asked gently, not wanting to hurt their feelings. They both glanced at each other and shrugged.   
  
"Yeah, I guess," said Maddie, who slid out of her seat and then offered a hand to Bryan. Colin was sitting on the end of his and Ginny's booth slid out and then to turned to offer a hand. Ginny smiled graciously and took it, and he held on to it, not letting go as they left the restaurant.   
  
"Where to now?" Colin asked.   
  
They all glanced around, "I think that another roller coaster ride would be out of the question, as my stomach won't hold its food if we do," Bryan remarked looking over at the roller coaster that had just taken a large dip. Maddie glanced over at it as well and wrinkled her nose, obviously having the same thoughts as Bryan.   
  
"We could go to the fun house," Ginny suggested, pointing out a purple tent.   
  
"Sure," Colin said squeezing her hand as they all started walking toward the fun house.   
  
* * * * *   
  
v "Shh!" Raven hissed clapping her small hand over Draco's mouth. "Don't talk," she whispered.   
  
Draco raised his eyebrows at the audacity of this little girl but complied. They were now in front of Draco's door, almost to Ginny's. Draco had only been talking because he was going to asked Raven how she thought she could hide against the dark wooden walls in a pale green robe. Raven of course, was oblivious to the color of her robe; she was concentrated on pressing herself against the wall as close as she could.   
  
They slunk slowly towards Ginny's door; Raven reached out and gripped the knob carefully, and turned it as slowly as possible to ensure that it wouldn't make a sound. She pushed it open and darted inside, Draco grinned and followed her. As soon as he got inside Raven shut the door behind them and locked the door.   
  
Raven grinned and clapped her hands together, "Yeah! We made it."   
  
Draco looked over at her and smiled, he couldn't help it, Raven just looked so proud of herself. "Yes, now do you know where her books are?"   
  
Raven's face dimmed a bit, "No…but we could look."   
  
"Oh, I don't know about going through her things…" Draco trailed off, hoping that Raven would get his point. She didn't.   
  
"Aw come on Drakey, don't be such a fraidy cat," she jumped on Ginny's bed and rolled over to the other side and looked underneath. "Nope," came her muffled voice, "nothing under her bed… 'cept some dust bunnies. Drakey, you look in the closet for her bag."   
  
Draco sighed loudly. "Do I have to?" He whined.   
  
"Yes!" Raven demanded shrilly, opening some drawers and sifting through them. Draco opened her closet door reluctantly.   
  
Then shut it after glancing in it, "Nope, no bag."   
  
Raven looked up at him angrily, "You didn't even look! Go look!" she demanded.   
  
Draco opened the door again and looked through the closet for Ginny's bag, he found it in the back, and in it were five children's books. Draco let out a sigh and turned to look back, but Raven wasn't there. Draco dropped the bag and looked around, he whipped his head through the door and it was open.   
  
He raced out into the hall, and saw her standing at the end of the hall, "Na-na-na-boo-boo, you can't catch me!" She giggled and then took off running.   
  
Draco's eyes flashed and he followed after her.   
  
* * * * *   
  
Maddie sighed and looked up at the darkening sky; Ginny too looked up with her and wished that her day wasn't over. Besides the incident in the restaurant she'd had a very good day. Obviously Maddie and Bryan meant to set her up with Colin because they kept encouraging them to go off and do things by themselves.   
  
"I'm hungry, isn't it dinner time?" Bryan asked.   
  
Maddie rolled her eyes, "You're always hungry."   
  
"So? I can't help it," Bryan protested.   
  
"Let's go get something to eat then."   
  
Ginny looked back at the Ferris Wheel lit up with colorful lights. "You know what guys; I think I'd like to ride that before dinner."   
  
Maddie and Bryan exchanged a glance and then looked to Colin. Colin took the hint, "Oh, uh, Maddie you guys just go ahead, I'll go with Ginny on the Ferris Wheel, and we'll just catch a bite later." He looked over at Ginny, "Is that okay?"   
  
Ginny nodded, smiling slightly, "It's fine."   
  
"Alright then," said Maddie, "We'll see you soon! Have fun!" Maddie gave Ginny a hug and Bryan shook her hand awkwardly, causing everyone to laugh until he gave in and just hugged her.   
  
"Bye!" Ginny called, as they left. "Let's go to the Ferris Wheel!" Ginny grabbed Colin's hand and drug him over to the short line. "Oh this is going to be so much fun; I've been on one of these before!"   
  
Colin chuckled, "me too. They are kind of fun." Ginny smiled at him as they sat down on the bench. They slowly started going up, Ginny clutched his hand tighter as they went up higher. "Do you like your job?" Colin asked.   
  
"Uh…" Ginny paused. "Most of the time."   
  
"What does that mean?"   
  
"Well, sometimes Malfoy can be a git, but most of the time he's_ okay_." Ginny said looking at him curiously. "Why?"   
  
"Just wondering. What about the little girl? It is a girl right?" Colin asked, hoping to Merlin that it was a girl.   
  
Ginny beamed at him, "She's just wonderful, so cute and…well, she's very outgoing. We get along good, and even Dr-Malfoy seems to love her, but he won't admit it."   
  
Colin made a face, "I don't think he's capable of loving someone."   
  
Ginny made sad eyes at him, "I wouldn't say that, he's human too, even if a bit of a cold one." Colin didn't say anything. "Really, he's a good guy; it just takes a while for him to come out."   
  
Colin's eyes almost shot out of their sockets, "He's_ gay_?"   
  
Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes, "He is_ not_ gay, I meant his good side, though it doesn't come out often…" she mumbled something under her breath about men.   
  
"Oh," Colin seemed slightly disappointed. "Do you like him or something?"   
  
Ginny looked stricken, "No, no I don't."   
  
Colin gave her a sly grin, "Right…."   
  
"I don't!" Ginny persisted.   
  
"Okay, okay," Colin said holding his hands up, but the teasing look still in his eyes. "I _believe_ you."   
  
Ginny snorted, "I'm sure you do."   
  
"Don't you want me to believe you?" Colin asked confused.   
  
Ginny gave him a look that he couldn't decipher, "Yes."   
  
"Alright…" and the Ferris Wheel stopped and they got off. "Where do you want to eat dinner?"   
  
"Uhm, maybe we should go somewhere else, the food is more expensive here," Ginny suggested.   
  
Colin perked up, "Sure, how about that Italian place near the Leaky Cauldron?" Ginny nodded.   
  
* * * * *   
  
"I'm going to get you!" Draco said running up behind Raven, who squealed and started giggling when he picked her up by the waist.   
  
v "Oh no!" She wailed in-between giggles, "The EVIL Drakey's got me!"   
  
"BWAHAHAHAHA," Draco laughed evilly. Raven started giggling again, and Draco held her on his hip.   
  
"Drakey," she said lowering her eyebrows and putting a hand on her stomach. "I'm hungry."   
  
Draco glanced at his watch and saw that it was 5:30, there was no way that he was going to cook dinner, that was impossible. He sighed, "Do you know how to cook?"   
  
Raven frowned at him, "I'm only this many!" She said holding up four fingers. "What do you think?"   
  
"Have you ever had Chinese take out?" Draco asked walking down the hall to the nearest library.   
  
"No…I don't think so," said Raven.   
  
"Well it's very good, let's go see if we can order from the fireplace." Draco kicked open and door and set Raven down on a couch and threw some powder into a fire and said, "Lee's Wok," and a head appeared in the fireplace.   
  
"Yes sir, how may I help you?" Said a man with a Cantonese accent.   
  
"Could we order some fried rice, sweet and sour chicken and some…" Draco paused to think for a moment, "Beef and broccoli?"   
  
The man bowed his head, "Yes sir, your total is fifteen galleons and two sickles. It should be there shortly sir."   
  
"Thanks," Draco said taking Raven by the hand and walked with her to the front door. Two seconds after they got there the doorbell rang. Draco opened it, paid the delivery boy and took the food. "Thanks," he said. The boy bowed and rushed down the stairs, pulling a portkey out of his pocket.   
  
v Raven stuck her nose out into the air and sniffed, "That smells good," she commented.   
  
Draco nodded, "It's pretty good." And they went to the dining room to eat.   
  
* * * * *   
  
Colin and Ginny had just finished ordering and were sitting at the table quietly. "So Colin how's work?" Ginny asked, taking a bite of her breadstick.   
  
Colin glanced up from where he had been staring at his water glass and smiled, "Oh its fine, loads of fun."   
  
"You take pictures for both the _Daily Prophet _and the _Quidditch Journa_l, right?" Ginny asked, raising an eyebrow, and looking at him curiously.   
  
Colin beamed at her, "And the_ Witch Weekly_," he added proudly.   
  
Ginny looked amazed, "Wow, that's a lot of pictures to shoot. Do you ever get tired of it?"   
  
"No…it's a lot of fun. I love photography; I've been doing it for as long as I can remember."   
  
Ginny let out a quiet giggle, "I remember when you were running around Hogwarts trying to get pictures of Harry."   
  
Colin blushed, "That was a long time ago," Ginny grinned at his embarrassment.   
  
"I used to chase after him too," she admitted shyly, "Only not in the same way as you."   
  
Colin chuckled, "I remember that."   
  
"We've known each other for a long time haven't we?" Said Ginny.   
  
Colin nodded, "Since first year." Then the waiter appeared with their orders. Ginny took one look at her plate and felt her stomach tighten…it was huge. Colin looked at his ravenously; he was hungry.   
  
Ginny picked up her fork and twirled it in her pasta carefully, not really sure how to go about eating from such a big plate. Colin looked at her strangely, "Is it alright?" he asked curiously.   
  
Ginny nodded, "Its fine," and as if to prove herself she took a big bite and smiled.   
  
v Colin laughed, "You have sauce on your nose."   
  
Ginny's eyes widened, "Oh my…I do?"   
  
"Yeah…just here," Colin reached over the table and wiped the sauce off of her nose, she looked up into his eyes and their eyes locked. Ginny wondered if he was going to kiss her.   
  
The waiter came and asked them if everything was alright, and Colin sat back in his seat nervously. "No…" Ginny said softly, "Everything's fine."   
  
They resumed their dinner and continued with small talk, each trying to forget the awkward moment that had just passed. Ginny couldn't help but wonder if maybe she had wanted Colin to kiss her. It wasn't like she already had a boyfriend or anything.   
  
* * * * *   
  
Raven grinned up at Draco with all sorts of sauces smeared on the edges of her mouth. "Drakey," she said solemnly. "That was _very_ good."   
  
Draco gave her a lopsided grin, "I'm glad you liked it. Want a fortune cookie?"   
  
"Fortune cookie?" Raven asked, confused.   
  
"Yeah, you break open the cookie and there's a little piece of paper inside that has your fortune," he explained taking one out of the wrapper for her and handing it to her. "Go ahead, open it."   
  
Raven cracked the cookie in half, getting crumbs all over the table, and pulled out the piece of paper anxiously. She peered at it and then handed it to Draco, "I can't read," she said frustrated.   
  
Draco smiled at her, and looked down at it, instantly his eyebrows knitted together. Raven looked at him, "What's it say Drakey?"   
  
He glanced at her, "'Value your match box,'" he read directly off the paper.   
  
Raven looked at the paper he handed back to her curiously, "What does that mean?"   
  
Draco shrugged, "I'm not sure…is it talking about muggle matches?"   
  
Raven looked at him like he was crazy, "How am I supposed to know?" She looked pointedly to the unopened fortune cookie in front of him, "Open yours."   
  
Draco picked his up and raised an eyebrow at her, and opened it; he broke it carefully and pulled out the piece of paper. He blinked, "'Your mind deceives you,'" he read quietly. "What's that supposed to mean?"   
  
"Dunno," Raven said through a mouthful of cookie. Draco shrugged and shoved half of his fortune cookie in his mouth. Raven giggled and crumbs flew out of her mouth, which made her laugh even harder. When she had calmed down she said, "I wanna play dollies."   
  
Draco pulled a face, "Dolls?"   
  
"YES!" Raven shouted, bouncing up and down in her chair.   
  
"Can't you play by yourself?"   
  
Raven frowned at him and crossed her arms over her chest, "No, you have to play with me."   
  
"Are you sure you want me to?" Draco asked, trying to get out of playing dolls.   
  
She stuck her nose up in the air, "Yes."   
  
"Do I even have a choice?" asked Draco, smiling.   
  
Raven snorted, "Of course not." She jumped out of her chair and pulled Draco out of his and she tugged him by the hand up to her room. "Drakey's gonna play dollies with me! Drakey's gonna play dollies with me! Drakey's gonna play dollies with me!" She said in a singsong voice, skipping down the hallways. A pale-faced Draco followed.   
  
* * * * *   
  
Colin paid for their dinner and they walked out of the restaurant. "Do you want me to apparate home with you?" he asked.   
  
Ginny nodded slowly, "Sure that would be nice." They both apparated to Draco's front door and stood there awkwardly. Ginny felt so much like the muggle girl, in muggle movies, who'd just come home from her first date. Which was silly considering that she had been friends with Colin for such a long time. She let her arms hang limply at her sides, not really knowing what to do, and looked over at Colin expectantly. But he wasn't much help; he was staring at his shoes.   
  
Colin wanted to kiss her, but he also didn't want to ruin their friendship. What if she didn't want to kiss him? What would he do then? What if he repulsed her? So he looked to his shoes…maybe they would have the answer.   
  
Ginny getting a little frustrated, and not wanting to seem rude by just going in side, stepped closer to him, letting him know it was okay to kiss her. That was all that Colin needed apparently, just a little reassurance. He bent his head slightly, to accommodate the space between their lips, and pressed his to hers softly in a kiss that was a little more than friendly. Ginny didn't feel any of the tingling warmth that she had felt when her lips had barely brushed Draco's, but still, Colin's kiss was a pleasant one.   
  
She broke apart slowly and looked at him, he smiled at her slightly, and she returned it. "So…" she breathed.   
  
Colin bit the inside of his lip, "Do you want to go out on a date? A real one?" he asked nervously.   
  
Ginny grinned at him, "Sure."   
  
"Great," he bent down to give her another quick kiss and disapparated promptly.   
  
Ginny stood on the front doorstep looking slightly dazed. Did this mean that she had a boyfriend? Did she really like Colin like that? She sighed heavily and went inside.   
  
"Raven! Draco!" she called out into the quiet house. Nobody answered, she frowned and started up the huge stairway and went to the library that they always used. They weren't in there, so she checked all the other libraries, and they weren't in those either.   
  
She walked quietly up to Raven's room and pushed the door open slowly. Inside Draco was half lying, half sitting next to Raven who was sleeping. He had a pink book open in his lap and he was slumped on his elbow, fast asleep. Ginny grinned and wondered if she should wake him up. He looked so angelic and sweet when he was sleeping…so unlike when he was awake. His pale blond hair fell over into his closed eyes and his mouth was unmarred by his customary smirk.   
  
Raven was a totally different story. She had her arm flung out and hanging over the side of the bed. Her hair looked like it had mice living in it, and she had a brown sauce all over her mouth. The corner of her mouth was upturned in an unconscious smile, and one of her hands was clenching and unclenching slowly.   
  
Ginny shut the door and started back towards her room; she opened the door, walked in and took off her shoes, set down her handbag and flopped onto her bed.   
  
There was a quiet knock on the door. "Come in."   
  
Draco stepped into the doorway, his eyes droopy from tiredness, "How do you manage her all day?"   
  
Ginny smiled at him, "It's my special secret."   
  
"Did you have fun?" he asked hesitantly.   
  
Ginny blinked, "Yes…."   
  
"Oh," he turned and started to leave.   
  
"Wait!" Ginny called impulsively. He looked back at her, "I didn't mean to say it that way. Please stay."   
  
Draco smirked, "Stay? What for?"   
  
"Uh…" Ginny paused and looked around her room, then narrowed her eyes, "Why is my closet open? And my bag on the floor?"   
  
Draco's smirk faltered, "Well…you see…it's a long story."   
  
Ginny sat up and crossed her arms, "I have awhile."   
  
Draco rolled his eyes, and Ginny patted the space beside her on the bed for him to sit down. He walked over to her slowly, and sat down. His weight caused her to slide toward him; she put out her hand to stop herself from going any further. "Tell me."   
  
"Well…Raven and I were in the library, and I was reading. Then she said that she wanted me to read her a book, but she didn't want to read any of my books. She wanted to come and get some of the books that you brought." Ginny nodded, "But she didn't want to just come up here and get them, she wanted to pretend that we were spies. So we 'snuck' up here and she_ made_ me look in the closet for your bag." Ginny snorted. "And when I turned around to tell her that I found them, she was gone. So I put the bag down and went after her. She decided that she'd rather play hide and seek than find books. While chasing her around the house, I forgot about the bag." Draco concluded, and then looked over at her.   
  
Ginny was smiling, "Raven's a handful isn't she?"   
  
Draco widened his eyes, "More like seven handfuls."   
  
"You love her though, don't you?"   
  
Draco paused, "I-yes, I do."   
  
Ginny grinned, "That's good." Draco shrugged, and Ginny turned worried. "What did you guys have for dinner? Did you feed her? You didn't forget to eat did you?"   
  
Draco rolled his eyes, "We ate."   
  
She narrowed her eyes, "What did you eat?"   
  
"Chinese takeout, Raven liked it."   
  
"Did you clean her up?"   
  
Draco groaned, "A guy can only remember to do so many things…and that was one that I forgot."   
  
"It's okay. I was worried that you might have forgotten to feed her," Ginny sighed. "I know how my brother's are when they're babysitting for Ron's son Robert, especially George and Fred. They'll go a whole day without eating if their busy enough. When one of us girls comes home, they suddenly realize that their hungry and expect us to cook them something."   
  
"I'm not that irresponsible," said Draco.   
  
Ginny shrugged, "You never know with guys."   
  
"I'm not a Weasley."   
  
"That's obvious."   
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Draco asked glaring slightly.   
  
"You don't act like a Weasley, and you surely don't_ look_ like a Weasley." She explained. Draco was quiet. "What?"   
  
"Nothing," he said in a voice that made her think there was more than nothing.   
  
"What is it?"   
  
"I said nothing."   
  
Ginny sighed and looked at him. His eyes were sort of dazed and she would have given a galleon just to know what he was thinking. "You can tell me," she said softly, touching one of his hands.   
  
He jerked and his eyes cleared, "No, I can't."   
  
She frowned, "Why not?"   
  
"Because."   
  
"Because is not an answer, it's an excuse."   
  
"So?"   
  
"So, give me a better one," Ginny persisted.   
  
"I don't have to," Draco said glaring at the door.   
  
"It would be nice if you would," she said quietly.   
  
"It doesn't matter," he said turning to look at her.   
  
"I want to know!" Ginny almost shouted, "Why don't you just tell-"   
  
His mouth covered hers; cutting off 'me', for a split second she was too stunned to react. Then she put her hand to his chest and tried to push him away, but he looped an arm around her back and cradled the back of her head with his other hand to hold her still for the kiss.   
  
It was the boldest kiss that she had ever received, and his lips fitted to hers perfectly. It took her breath away, and Draco paused for air.   
  
"Draco! What do you think-"   
  
He resealed her lips, and this kiss was more persuasive. He didn't want to hear her being angry with him; he just wanted to taste the sweetness of her lips on his. Draco's lips caressed hers softly, and the rigidity of her body went away. She relaxed in his arms, and stopped pushing against his chest; she moved her hand to his shoulder and leaned into the kiss.   
  
He broke away one more time for a quick breath of air, "Draco…"she said softly. "There's no point…don't do-"   
  
His third kiss was even more gentle and powerful all at the same time. She melted completely, and returned his kiss. Her mouth softened and her lips parted slightly, Draco took full advantage of it and slipped his tongue out and traced the opening of her mouth. Ginny felt fire where his tongue had touched her, what he was doing to her senses was addictive, and she knew that she wanted more.   
  
He pulled back slowly and looked at her lips, which were moist and swollen. He took a few short ragged breaths and lifted his eyes to meet her dazed and confused ones. He got off of her bed, and walked out the door, not wanting to answer any questions.   
  
Ginny sat on her bed, and lifted her hands to her lips. Two different men had kissed her that night. One she had known forever and was entirely comfortable with, his kiss had done nothing to her. The other man, her family hated and she had once despised herself. Now she realized that she didn't really know him, but his kisses made the solid ground melt beneath her feet.   
  
She sighed and lay back down…and thought that she heard faint laughter.   
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N:** TA-DA! There's your chapter. I hope you all liked it; I know that it's taken a while for it to get out…but it's a long chapter…like 25 pages or something. Thanks to Natalie for beta-ing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you to everyone who reviewed!!!!! Thank you, thank you!!!!! PLEASE REVIEW! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!! 


	8. Uhoh

**A/N: I'm really sorry about the sucky formatting of the last chapter. Read this one, I promise that it's better.**   
  
  
  
**Chapter 8**   
  
  
  
Draco stood at the window staring off into the foggy morning sky, trying to figure out what exactly it was that had come over him the night before. What ever had possessed him to kiss Ginny like that? And why did it have to bother him so much?   
  
He hit the curtains and spun away from the window. He was angry. He had no right to kiss her, but then again it was her fault. How was he supposed to stop when her lips fit so perfectly to his? He closed his eyes tightly and massaged the bridge of his nose tiredly. Why was this happening to him? Why did he feel like there was a heavy weight sitting on his chest?   
  
There was no way that he was going down to breakfast that morning. No way. It would be impossible for him to face Ginny right now. What would he say to her? Why was he feeling this way? Did he have feelings for a…_Weasley_?   
  
No. NO, definitely not.   
  
Then why was he feeling so…different? No, it wasn't that kind of different. He just…he shouldn't have kissed her the night before, that's all. He didn't care anything about her and wasn't going to let his conscience get to him. He would just act like it didn't even happen. Maybe she would even dismiss it as a dream.   
  
He rang the bell near his door and sat down in a pouffy armchair. Hopkins opened the door minutes later and bowed deeply at Draco. "Yes sir, what can Hopkins do for you?"   
  
"Breakfast. I want breakfast up here in my room this morning." Draco said tiredly, slouching in the chair and watching Hopkins' eyebrows shoot up.   
  
"No breakfast with Missus Wheezy, sir?" He asked bouncing anxiously on his feet.   
  
"No. Please bring me my breakfast." He gave Hopkins a look telling him to just let the subject alone. Hopkins scurried out of the room and the door shut loudly behind him, causing Draco to wince.   
  
***   
  
Ginny sat next to Raven at the big dining room table wondering where Draco was. She stared at the elegant lacy tablecloth and thought that maybe he was regretting what he'd done the night before. Now the friendship that she had been trying to build would just be flushed down the toilet, never to be seen again – except for maybe in sewer, but who would want it then?   
  
Ginny saw Hopkins dart in the room from the corner of her eye and her head snapped up. "Hopkins?" she called out.   
  
He jumped, "Yes Missus Wheezy?" He was wringing his hands and glancing around the room nervously.   
  
"Where's Dr-Mr. Malfoy?" She inquired.   
  
Hopkins looked as if he wasn't sure what to say. Raven looked over at Ginny, frowning slightly. "Erm…Mr. Malfoy is busy Missus."   
  
"With what?" Ginny demanded.   
  
"Well…err…you see Missus…" he looked down at the small wrist watch he was wearing and jumped again. "Oh sorry Missus, gots to be going now." He half ran half hopped into the kitchen and reappeared seconds later balancing a large tray on his head and walking out of the room.   
  
Ginny sat back in her seat, very confused. Draco always came down to breakfast every single morning. It must have been the kissing. It couldn't have been anything else. He was probably repulsed with himself for even touching her. She shivered.   
  
"What's wrong Dinny?" Raven asked tilting her head to the side.   
  
"Nothing," Ginny said shaking her head. "Nothing."   
  
"Wanna know what I did yesterday?" Raven peered up at her eagerly.   
  
"What?"   
  
"Drakey took me flying! And I went up, and WHOOSH! I felled off the broom! And Drakey—Drakey is real fast he ZOOMED! And caught me in the air. It was like I was flying…and…and…he's my hero!" Raven said bouncing in her seat excitedly.   
  
Ginny sat still for a moment. "He took you flying."   
  
"Yup."   
  
"And you fell off the broom."   
  
"Yup."   
  
"He caught you."   
  
"Yup."   
  
"You were on a broom_ all by yourself_."   
  
Raven sat up proudly. "Yup."   
  
Ginny sighed loudly and pushed herself away from the table, and pulled Raven out of her chair and took her by the hand. She marched up the stairs to Draco's room and knocked loudly on the door.   
  
"Open up Malfoy! I know you're in there!" Ginny shouted, tapping her foot impatiently.   
  
The door swung open and a curious looking Draco peeked out. "What?" he demanded looking from Raven's playful face to Ginny's stern one. He pulled the door open more and stepped back. "What did I do _now_?"   
  
"How could you take her _flying_? Do I have to remind you that she's ONLY four years OLD! She could have been seriously hurt or even worse. Did you even stop to think of what would have happened if you _hadn't_ caught her? Huh? Mr. Hotshot, what if she had fallen to the ground? What would you have done then?"   
  
Draco opened his mouth to say something in his defense but Ginny just kept on talking. "You're just as irresponsible as I thought you would be! What where you thinking? Did the DANGERS and possible CONSEQUENCES even enter that thick skull of yours? HUH? What would your cousins say if they knew that you went_ flying_ with their daughter and she FELL off the BROOM?"   
  
Draco really couldn't think of anything to say. He looked to Raven who was staring at Ginny with her mouth open. "Well," he said, "Raven begged, and I couldn't resist."   
  
Ginny rolled her eyes. "Draco, we're not talking about a cookie before supper, we're talking about flying! It's very easy to resist MISTER!" She poked his chest with her forefinger. "All you have to do," poke, "Is say," poke, "NO!" He brought his hand up to his chest and started to rub it, scowling at her.   
  
"It's not that EASY!" He growled. "It's hard to say no to someone so cute," he looked over to Raven and his eyes softened.   
  
Ginny snorted, "Since when do you have a soft spot?"   
  
He turned back to glare at her, rage boiling up inside him. Why was she being so…so…mean? All he had done was take Raven flying. It wasn't like he killed her or anything. Was it because he kissed her last night? Oh how he regretted that now.   
  
"What do you mean by that?" he spat.   
  
Ginny's lips tightened into a very thin line. "Well you're supposed to play the part of the cold-hearted bastard aren't you?" Raven gasped and put her hands over her ears.   
  
"And I guess you've adopted the role of the bitter bitch?" Draco said sneering. Raven wriggled out of Ginny's grasp and ran down the hall.   
  
"What are you talking about? Why would I be bitter?"   
  
Draco tapped his chin and acted like he was thinking. "Oh I don't know…maybe it's because you've been lusting over the same guy since you were NINE years old and he still hasn't noticed you. Maybe that's why you're so bitter."   
  
Ginny let out a strangled cry, "Ah! How dare you talk about Harry! This doesn't even have anything to do with him! And I'm NOT still lusting over him!" Ginny shouted, her face becoming as red as her hair.   
  
"Right, and I'm supposed to believe that?"   
  
"I don't care what you believe! The fact that you even brought that up just proves my point. You're a cold-hearted bastard! Only you would pull a cheap shot like that to avoid the real issue. Which is the fact that you made a mistake, you were irresponsible and reckless and you can't even find it within yourself to swallow that damn pride of yours and admit it."   
  
"Oh, I'm proud? Take a look in the mirror Ginny. You're too proud to admit what you really feel. I see right through you. You're mad at me only because I had the guts to tell you the truth. You're still in love with Potter. You waste your time waiting for him and refuse to get close to any other guy in the hopes that one day he'll wake up and notice you. You're afraid that you might start loving _them_ instead of your precious Potter, and that would mean that you're betraying him. -Stop me if I'm wrong."   
  
Ginny didn't say anything.   
  
Draco sighed. "You even told me yourself that you want to marry him. Well maybe you didn't exactly say it, but you implied it. There are some things that you just have to get over Weasley, and one of those things is Potter."   
  
Ginny stood with her head bowed, staring at the carpet, her lower lip was quivering. Draco stared at the quivering lip and remembered the night before. A single tear rolled down her check and plummeted to the floor.   
  
"At least I'm trying," she whispered and fled down the hall to her room and slammed the door. Draco sunk against the frame of his door, wondering what had happened to him. What had happened to the Draco Malfoy that he knew and understood? Why did he feel so chaotic? He shook his head violently and went back into his room.   
  
***   
  
Ginny was sitting in a big armchair in the library, resting her head in her hands staring out the window at the pouring rain. Raven was playing with a muggle Barbie.   
  
"Oh Ken! I'm sorry I yelled at you, let's kiss and make up." Ginny continued to stare forlornly out the window.   
  
_Tap, tap_, she shook herself out of her daze and saw an owl at the window. She opened it and the tawny owl flew in dropping a letter into her lap and gracefully perched itself at the top of her armchair.   
  
Ginny picked it up and opened it:   
  
Ginny,   
  
It's Colin. I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go see Phantom of the Opera with me next Friday night. I heard it is really good. I hope you'll come with me. Owl me back and let me know.   
  
Colin   
  
  
  
Ginny smiled and folded it back up. Of course she would go with him. It's exactly what she needed: a nice, non-confusing date with Colin.   
  
"Who is that from?" Raven asked looking at the letter in Ginny's hand.   
  
"A friend, he's asked me out on a date."   
  
Raven frowned, "Boyfriend?"   
  
Ginny sighed, "I guess so."   
  
Raven's frown increased, "You can't go, you need to stay and watch me." She got up and put her hands on her hips, giving Ginny her sternest look. Ginny stifled a giggle. "Well that's not for you to say, now is it?"   
  
"You can't have a boyfriend."   
  
"Why not?" Ginny asked, sitting back down in her chair.   
  
"Because…he isn't blond."   
  
"Yes he is."   
  
"He's not nice."   
  
"Actually he's very nice, a perfect gentleman."   
  
"He…doesn't have a big house," Raven said stoutly.   
  
Ginny giggled, "No he doesn't. But that isn't what matters."   
  
"Well it should!"   
  
"Why not too long ago you were pestering me about not having a boyfriend. Now that I have one you think that I shouldn't. Why shouldn't I have a boyfriend Raven?" Ginny inquired curiously.   
  
"Because he's not Drakey!" Raven stomped out of the library, and lead Ginny on a wild goose chase.   
  
***   
  
_This is ridiculous_, Draco thought as he paced his room. He hadn't left since the fight he'd had with Ginny. _What the hells wrong with me? Since when do I hide from anyone? Especially a Weasley. _ He sighed heavily and raked his fingers through his fine blond hair. _What is it about her that gets me so on edge? Why am I pacing about my room thinking about her of all people?_   
  
Raven burst into his room, panting, her hair flying around her wildly. She looked around. "Drakey!" she said excitedly. "Hide me!"   
  
Draco hesitated then looked around his room for a place to hide her. He pulled open a door on his armoire and helped Raven in. Just as he closed the door and turned around Ginny was at the door.   
  
"Where's Raven?" she asked.   
  
Draco shrugged, "I don't know. I thought I was paying you to keep up with her."   
  
Ginny scowled, "Well she ran off and I don't know where she is!"   
  
Draco heard Raven giggling in the armoire and started coughing loudly to cover it up. Ginny frowned and tried to look behind Draco. "Are you sure she isn't in here?"   
  
Draco rolled his eyes, "Why would I hide her from you?"   
  
"I don't know," she shrugged. "But it seems like something that you might do."   
  
"I wouldn't."   
  
Ginny looked intently at him for a moment. "Fine, I'm going to go look for her." She walked out the door. Draco sighed and turned to the armoire. "Draco," Ginny called walking back into the room. He jumped.   
  
"God, Weasley don't sneak up on me like that."   
  
"I wasn't sneaking up on you, why are you so jumpy?"   
  
"I'm not jumpy, now what do you want?"   
  
"I wanted to tell you that I am going to need next Friday night off." Draco heard a muffled "NO" from the armoire. "What was that noise Draco?"   
  
"Nothing, just my stomach. I don't care if you take Friday night off." A distinct thud emitted from the armoire. Ginny looked toward it and the corners of her mouth twitched.   
  
"Well, I'm glad that you don't mind because Colin's taking me to see Phantom of the Opera. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm sure we'll have a wonderful time."   
  
"Creevy! That Potter-loving git with the camera? What are you desperate?"   
  
Ginny stepped toward him trembling with rage. "How dare you. Colin is a wonderful guy. He's not the boy you knew at Hogwarts, he's grown up, which is more than I can say for you. You know, you have a lot of nerve passing judgment on me when you yourself don't have a girlfriend and put on that . . . that ridiculous production to convince your boss that you're engaged! I think you're the one who needs to take a look in the mirror."   
  
"Touché, Weasley. Did it take you all morning to come up with that come back? Creevy is just a cheap substitute for Potter. Did you really think that going out with the President of his fan club would get you over him?"   
  
Ginny's eyes darkened. "My love life is_ none_ of your business. If you say one more word, _just one word,_ just. . . _one. . . tiny . . . small_l. . . word about it _ever_ again I will cut out your tongue with a dull, rusted blade, flambé it and feed it to you."   
  
Draco closed the space between them and brought his face within inches of Ginny's. "Well that's a very Slytherin-like threat _Virginia_. We'll just have to see how good you are with a blade then, _won't we_? Your fencing lesson will be in an hour."   
  
Ginny stood dumfounded. Draco stepped back and smirked. "Shouldn't you go find Raven?"   
  
"Huh? Ginny snapped out of her daze. "Yes, I'm going to find Raven." She walked toward the door.   
  
"Ginny."   
  
"Yes?"   
  
"Don't be late. I _hate_ to be kept waiting." Ginny left to try and find Raven.   
  
Draco let Raven out of the armoire after Ginny left and shooed her out of the room. "You better run before you get me into more trouble kid." Raven took off giggling like mad, turned a corner and ran into Ginny.   
  
Ginny wasn't paying attention to Raven at all, she was thinking. She was thinking of Draco, the one person she didn't want to be thinking of. But she couldn't stop, not after he had kissed her like that. What was worse was the fact that he hadn't said anything about it. He'd acted like it hadn't happened.   
  
Maybe it was just a dream…no it wasn't, there was no way that it could have be a dream.   
  
Raven peered up at Ginny with little girl concern. "Dinny? Dinny?" When Ginny didn't respond, Raven put her small hot hand on Ginny's frigid one.   
  
Ginny jerked back to reality and looked to Raven. "There you are, don't run away from me like that, this place is huge, I thought I'd never find you." She clasped Raven's hand and they walked to the library. Ginny sat by the window. Raven hopped up on the white couch and started jumping up and down. After a few minutes of jumping she got off the couch and went to Ginny.   
  
"What's wrong?" Raven asked.   
  
Ginny shook her head and looked out the window where she saw Draco flying around the wet quidditch pitch outside. He was racing around the hoops, his cloak billowing out behind him as he flew.   
  
She sighed and looked back to Raven, "Nothing."   
  
Raven sat on Ginny's lap and curled up against her. Raven wasn't sure what exactly was going on. All she knew was that she wanted Draco and Ginny together and there had been a whole lot of yelling earlier that morning. As young as she was, she knew that wasn't good.   
  
Ginny brought Raven to Mrs. Wells and then asked Hopkins where Draco was, as he hadn't told her where the lesson would be. "Why he would be in the ballroom Miss Wheezy." Ginny stared at him completely confused, "Malfoy has a_ballroom_?"   
  
Hopkins nodded earnestly, "Would Miss Wheezy like Hopkins to show her where it is?" He looked excited at the prospect of showing Ginny a part of the house she hadn't been in before.   
  
"Sure." Hopkins showed her to the ballroom and she walked in. The ceiling was extraordinary; it reminded her of the one in Beauty and the Beast – a muggle movie she had watched while babysitting for Ron and Hermione's son. While staring in awe, she heard a loud crash. She whipped her head around the room and saw nothing.   
  
Then Draco came in through a side door holding a white bag. Ginny looked at him and raised an eyebrow, "What was that?"   
  
He blinked, "What?"   
  
"That…you know, the crashing noise?" Ginny asked wondering how he could be rather dense about the most painfully obvious things.   
  
He smirked, "Oh that…. The cabinet wouldn't open." Ginny's mouth fell open.   
  
"The cabinet wouldn't open, so you broke it?"   
  
"Why not, it's easily fixed."   
  
Ginny shook her head and mumbled "Men" under her breath. He moved to the center of the ballroom and dropped the bag on the floor; it made clanging noises that caused Ginny cringe.   
  
She looked at him, waiting for what he would do next. He bent down and pulled out two very pointy looking types of swords. Each had an elaborate 'M' carved onto the handle. "This," he said handing one to her, "Is a foil. The foil is the most basic weapon in fencing. There's also a saber and an épée . " He bent down and pulled out white suits. "We have to put these on for safety."   
  
Ginny held one in her hand looking at it dubiously. "Isn't there supposed to be a mask that goes with this?"   
  
"You're just beginning, it's not like we're going to spar and you're going to be able to take my eye out."   
  
"What about _my_ eye?" Ginny asked glaring at him.   
  
He shrugged, "I'll try not to aim too high."   
  
Ginny let out a cry of indignation. "That isn't funny Malfoy."   
  
"Just shut up and let me teach. Now, as I was saying…." Draco went on and explained to her, after they had donned their suits, what defensive and offensive stances looked like. He also showed her _on-guard_, a position that you could use to start either a defensive of offense move. He taught her the proper way to lunge and thrust. She was a fast learner but was still clumsy with her foil being that her hand wasn't quite used to it yet. After an hour they stopped and Hopkins brought them some water.   
  
They sat on the floor silently, sipping the cool water slowly. Draco set his cup on the floor. "Do you want to try to spar?"   
  
Ginny sighed and looked at the foil that was lying next to her. "I guess I could try."   
  
"Then get up and come on." He said standing up and grabbing his foil. They stood _on-guard_. "Ready?" She nodded and they started. She thrust her foil and he parried her block, striking her torso, earning himself a point. After that, Draco went a little easier on her; blocking her blows and letting her block his. They worked their way across the room until he had her practically in a corner. He lunged forward causing her to step back and her back hit the wall. Draco hit her foil from her hand; it clattered to the floor and rolled away. She watched it nervously, and then looked back to Draco. She was going to just knee him and run for her foil, but her brought up his arm and used it to press her against the wall. She gulped and looked daringly into his eyes; afraid that she might see the same thing she had seen earlier that morning. Yes, the look was there, and it was scaring her.   
  
Draco saw her eyes flick to his lips, and her tongue dart out of her mouth to lick her lips. He almost laughed. Draco brought his lips down slowly toward hers.   
  
"Why?" She blurted out.   
  
He moved his head back and looked at her, "What do you mean 'why'?"   
  
She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. "Why did you kiss me last night?"   
  
His stomach flipped, he knew that she was going to ask about it. She wasn't one of those women who he could just snog and they wouldn't care why. She needed to know. And this was the moment that he had been dreading. What was he going to say? That he felt a weird twinge in his chest every time that she was around? One that he couldn't explain, and didn't want explained for fear of what it might mean. What to say…  
  
  
  



	9. Who Wants 'Golin' Anyways?

**A/N: Hey all, sorry it took so long for me to update, I really did try. This was a hard chapter, believe it or not. I really hope that you like it because I think that I worked pretty hard on it.   
  
****Disclaimer: Don't own anything that matters.   
  
  
  
****_Chapter 9_   
By: VirtualFaerie**   
  
  
  
Draco looked at her, still calculating, and it spilled out of his throat and onto his tongue before he could stop it. "Because I could."   
  
Ginny's eyes widened, her jaw clenched, eyebrows lowered. "You really are a cold-hearted bastard." She brought up her knee, hit his groin, hard, and slapped him as she stormed out of the ballroom. How disappointing. But what did she think he was going to say? Did she think he was going to profess his love and start spouting flowery poetry? Heck no. That was definitely something that he wouldn't do. She should have known he probably only wanted a thrill; wanted a quick kiss. Hey!-Why not get one from the bloody nanny?   
  
She stomped up the stairs, not even giving a thought to Raven and slammed her door as she went into her room. She peeled off the white suit and locked herself in the bathroom. She sat on the floor and cried. Ginny wasn't really sure what else to do. All he had done was kiss her; she shouldn't have expected anything from it. It was completely pointless. She should have just let it alone.   
  
Resting her head on her knees she sighed loudly. There wasn't anything that she could do now. But life was going to be hell living in the same house with him. She would leave if it wasn't for Raven. She couldn't just leave Raven here with him, with an old nanny who wouldn't know how to let the little girl have fun. She cried heavier, feeling the salty tears roll down her cheeks and onto her knees. There was nothing she could do now; there was definitely no way that she could go back. But it wasn't her fault. If he hadn't kissed her this would have never happened. Never.   
  
She got up and looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes and nose were red, and her hair was messed up. She ran her fingers through her hair and slumped against the counter. There was nothing she could do. She was totally helpless in this whole situation and she didn't like it. It was driving her crazy. She just wanted to erase the whole thing from her memory.   
  
Seeing Colin's letter sitting on the counter, she picked it up and smiled. At least she had Colin to look forward to; nice sensible Colin who would never do anything like this to her. Colin was nervous about kissing her, Colin asked her to musicals, Colin cared about her, and Colin was a friend. She was so lucky to have Colin; someone dependable, someone who hadn't changed and was as predictable as the seasons.   
  
She turned on the faucet and let the cold-water fall over her hands. She caught some in her palms and splashed it on her face. She rubbed her eyes and looked back at her reflection. Not her best, but it was better than before. She brought her necklace out from under her shirt and fingered the charm. _For luck_, she told herself.   
  
Merlin knew she needed it.   
  
-_-   
  
_Because I could._   
  
Those words were going to haunt him.   
  
Draco groaned. Damn, it hurt. He was slumped against the wall with his eyes shut. It hurt. She couldn't believe that she did that. Or maybe he could, he was just surprised. He wouldn't be surprised if she left now. It wouldn't surprise him at all.   
  
He couldn't believe he said that. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he have said something that wouldn't have made her so mad? Why not something like, "Because you're beautiful."   
  
Wait. Did he just think that she was beautiful? He shook his head violently. No, he didn't, it was just the pain. The pain was making him delirious. He wasn't thinking clearly. But still, he should have thought of something gentler to say. Life was going to be hell now. He was mad and he knew that she had to be mad. You couldn't get away with saying something like that to a woman and not have her be mad at you. It just didn't work that way.   
  
Hopkins poked his head into the room. "Master Malfoy?" he called out carefully. Obviously he had heard something.   
  
"What?" Draco muttered ill temperedly. Why did Hopkins have to bother him now?   
  
"Would you be liking something sir?"   
  
"Ice. Get me lots of ice," he said opening his eyes and looking at the nervous house-elf. Hopkins darted back and shut the door.   
  
Maybe…he thought, just maybe I love her. No…yes…no…. No I don't, he decided. He sighed loudly; there really was no denying it. He wouldn't be feeling so lousy for saying what he did if he didn't care for her at least a little bit. There was no way.   
  
_Okay_, he thought,_ there's a step in a new direction. I have feelings for a Weasley. I'm an idiot. A big, big idiot. What am I going to do?_   
  
Hopkins scurried across the room and set a tub of ice in front of Draco and some hand towels. He bowed and rushed out of the room. Draco rolled his eyes; let the stupid house elf be scared of him. See if he cared. He might as well make everyone else miserable since he was. He wasn't going to let everyone else be happy while he was upset. No, everyone was going to suffer with him. And he wasn't going to have it any other way.   
  
He stood up and picked up the tub of ice and hand towels. He walked with a slight limp out of the ballroom and to the closest library. He took off his white suit and slouched on a couch.   
  
Everyone should be miserable if he was.   
  
-_-   
  
Ginny came out of the bathroom and paced her room. What was she going to do now? She wasn't comfortable in this house anymore. Ginny got her bag out of her closet and began to pull her clothes off their hangers to pack. She stopped and thought of Raven. It wouldn't be fair to Raven to just leave her alone there with Draco, especially if it was likely that he would be in a sour mood. She sighed unhappily and pulled on a clean robe. She got out her wand and made up her mind.   
  
She was going home. Even if it was only for the evening she was going. She wasn't going to worry about Raven, she would be fine with Ms. Wells and Draco wouldn't do anything to her. She just needed to go home and sort through some things in peace, or in as much peace as she could have in her messed up life.   
  
Waving her wand she disappeared and reappeared in her mother's homey kitchen. It was warm and the smell of fresh baked cookies permeated the air. Her mother was at the counter, wiping flour up with a dishcloth. Mrs. Weasley turned around and saw her daughter. She smiled happily and rushed over to her, wrapping her up in a big bone-crushing motherly hug.   
  
"Hi mom," Ginny said tiredly, smiling wanly at her happy mother.   
  
"Hey darling, I'm so glad you came. Guess who's here?" She clasped her hands and nodded towards the living room. Ginny turned around and walked through the door.   
  
Sprawled on the couch with his feet hanging over the edge was Harry Potter; her famous Boy-Who-Lived. He ran his hand through his hair and turned to look at her. His bright green eyes sparkled from under his glasses and a big grin spread across his face. He got up off the couch and gave her a hug and peck on the forehead. "Hey Gins, I was hoping that I would get to see you."   
  
Ginny faked a smile; there was something different about Harry. She wasn't sure what it was. But she knew that he was missing something. "Hi Harry," she said looking up at him and kissing his cheek; nothing. Why was she feeling nothing when she kissed him? She was supposed to feel fireworks, her toes were supposed to tingle. But they didn't. What was wrong? "Glad to see you," she said half-heartedly.   
  
He peered at her concerned, "What's wrong?" He asked quietly, his eyes darting to the kitchen door to see if Mrs. Weasley was listening. She wasn't.   
  
Ginny shrugged and looked away, "Nothing."   
  
"Bull."   
  
She shut her eyes, refusing to look at him. What was she supposed to say? Hey, Draco Malfoy kisses me and I'm angry. No. "I said nothing. Please don't ask me. I came home to get away."   
  
He still didn't leave her alone. "It's Malfoy isn't it?"   
  
Harry surprised her, "What?"   
  
"I know you're working for him. I've known since I saw the clipping your mother showed me. His address is common knowledge to aurors." Harry said still looking at the door.   
  
Ginny rolled her eyes, and tried to push past him. "Don't worry about it."   
  
He grabbed her shoulders and looked at her pensively. "What do you mean don't worry about it? Ginny, I'm worried…."   
  
"I can't take care of myself; it's none of your business."   
  
"Has he hurt you?" Harry asked.   
  
"No," she said and ran up the stairs to her room, locking the door behind her. She didn't want to talk to Harry right now; especially since he was so set on knowing her personal business, which had absolutely nothing to do with him. Why the sudden curiosity? She flopped over onto her bed and stared at the ceiling.   
  
_Why haven't I ever had a canopy?_ She thought, totally randomly. She remembered that whenever she was a kid that she always wanted a canopy bed, just like the princesses had. But she never got one. She wanted a pink one with white ruffles. There wasn't one; all that was there was a curiously brown stained ceiling.   
  
She shook her head, _no thinking about ceilings and canopies_, she told herself; wondering if she had finally lost her mind. It certainly seemed so since she actually let Draco Malfoy kiss her the night before, and didn't say anything about it until a little while ago. Her brain must have finally died; there was no thinking. She didn't know what to think anymore. If he hadn't said, _because I could_, would she still have kissed him? Did she want him to kiss her? Yes, of course she did. You couldn't get kisses like that just anywhere. She hit her forehead with a flat palm. Why was she thinking things like that? It was Malfoy for Merlin's sake. She wasn't supposed to feel _that_ way when he kissed her. Why did she let herself even think, or _hope_ that he had actually meant something by it?   
  
Kicking her shoes off, she turned on her stomach and buried her face in her pillow. She couldn't breathe, so she turned her head only to see Colin's picture on her corkboard. She hadn't remembered putting it up, but she must have…her brain was definitely resting with lilies.   
  
It was a picture of her and Colin in their sixth year, sitting but the lake with their arms around each other. They both looked so happy in that picture that Ginny wanted to be sick. Smiling and winking and jumping…sixteen was such a ditzy age for her. She groaned and turned her head the other way, deciding the she preferred to look out the window at the rain, then at the cheerful photo.   
  
-_-   
  
Sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him, on a couch in the library, Draco was staring out the window at the rain as well. He was trying to decide on a wise thing to say to Ginny; something that wouldn't give her a reason to permanently handicap him. So far he had could come up with absolutely nothing that would insure that his appendages would remain intact. And that wasn't very comforting.   
  
"Mr. Malfoy!" Draco winced and covered his ears and looked into the red face of Miss Wells. "What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?" he snarled.   
  
"I can't find Miss Weasley." Raven was holding onto Miss Wells' leg looking like she was having entirely too much fun being dragged around to know what was going on.   
  
Draco rolled his eyes and turned back to the window, "Surprise, surprise." He had been expecting this. It was inevitable; she was going to leave. And it was all because of his recently enlarge mouth, one that didn't know the correct things to say..   
  
Miss Wells was shocked. "What did you say sir?"   
  
He gave her an annoyed glance, "Go away, you're bothering me." She just looked at him. "Get out!" he snapped. "And take the kid with you!" Raven wasn't so happy anymore; her hero had just called her a kid, and it wasn't in good context. Raven frowned; her hopes for Ginny and Draco now seemed to be going down the drain. A lone tear trekked down her face as Miss Wells hurried out of the room, pulling Raven behind her.   
  
Sighing and looking back to the window, a place that was very useful while thinking, Draco thought of what he was going to do now. Getting a new nanny sounded like it should be number one on his list. But of course it wasn't. Number one was the incessant nagging of the thought that he needed to make amends with Ginny. Never before had he felt the need to do this, but having already recognized the fact that he did indeed have feelings for this certain female Weasley, it was something that must be done. Sure he was an idiot for the feelings, but it wasn't like he could just tell them to go away and they would. Nope, feelings don't work like that; they have a mind of their own.   
  
The door opened again. It was Miss Wells…again. "What do you want?" Draco said so coldly it could have frozen the sun. He was that angry and agitated.   
  
"Miss Weasley is back."   
  
"That's nice. Get me some coffee."   
  
-_-   
  
The following week was probably the grumpiest and most dismal week in Malfoy/Weasley history. Not a word passed between Ginny and Draco. They stayed away from each other, and when they were in the same room by chance, one left without a word. The entire staff of the mansion was seriously considering quitting, except for Hopkins because he loved being a house elf as house elves do.   
  
Being around Draco was like being in the fiery pits of hell. You were yelled at constantly, and snapped at to go bring him coffee. Something he thought would calm his nerves but only served to make him more restless.   
  
Ginny and Raven stayed in the second floor library. Draco didn't come in there for any reason at all. Not even when he realized he had left the book that he was currently reading in there. No way was he going to go anywhere near Ginny. He couldn't, he wouldn't know what was going to come out of his mouth and he didn't know what her reaction to   
  
On Thursday the doorbell rang and Hopkins ran to answer it. Standing at the door was a very stressed looking Harry Potter. Hopkins called Ginny down to him.   
  
Ginny wasn't happy to see him at all. "What?"   
  
He blinked, "I was sent to come and check on you."   
  
"By motherly forces I assume?" Ginny stepped outside.   
  
"Also by brotherly forces as well," Harry said looking at his watch. Ginny noticed.   
  
"You can go. I'm fine; I don't need you checking up on me. So do us both a favor and don't bother." She said callously.   
  
Harry looked at her deeply alarmed. "What's gotten into you?"   
  
Ginny's face showed absolutely no emotion. "Since when have you cared?" She walked back inside, slamming the door with a satisfying **bang** in Harry's face.   
  
Draco appeared at her elbow, "Who was that?"   
  
"You're best friend," Ginny said sarcastically. "Potter."   
  
He nodded and left. There wasn't much to say between them. That was the most civil conversation that had been had in the past few days.   
  
Then came time for the musical with non-confusing Colin.   
  
Raven was perched on Ginny's bed, watching as she went through her closet looking for something to wear. Raven had a look of distaste on her face; her arms were crossed and her lips pouting. She obviously didn't want Ginny to go on this date.   
  
"Are you sure you really like this Golin guy?" she asked, hope evident in her voice.   
  
Ginny turned to face Raven and smiled, "It's _Colin_ and yes, I'm sure that I like him. Are you okay Raven? You seem a bit…sad about something." Raven started mumbling under her breath. "What was that?" Ginny asked; her back now turned to the dark faced little girl.   
  
"Nothing," Raven muttered flopping back on the bed. She started up at the canopy with a thoughtful face.   
  
"What do you think? Should I wear this one?" When Raven looked to Ginny she saw that she had on the green robe, probably the only appropriate thing she had to wear. Raven's mouth fell open and she clapped her hand over it.   
  
Shaking her head she said, "No, no, no…." She slid down the side of the bed, walked to the closet and started yanking on a wooly gray robe. It came down, hanger and all and Raven thrust it in Ginny's direction. "That's better," she said approvingly, while Ginny eyed the robe dubiously.   
  
"Uh—Raven, I don't think so. Besides, this is a winter robe." She said mildly.   
  
Raven let out an exasperated sigh, "You'll probably get cold in there!" she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.   
  
The corners of Ginny's mouth quirked up in a smile, "Well, I guess it could be okay." Raven nodded enthusiastically. "It just needs a little work."   
  
Raven frowned, "What do you mean?"   
  
Ginny shrugged, "You'll see." Then she walked into the bathroom with the frumpy robes and her wand.   
  
Raven jumped back onto the bed again and made herself comfortable. She knew how long her mother took in the bathroom and prepared herself for a long wait.   
  
It was a good thing she did, because Ginny didn't emerge from the bathroom for twenty minutes. When she came out Raven was engrossed in a game of imaginary hopscotch and was singing nursery rhymes as she hopped all about the room in hopscotch patterns.   
  
Raven whirled around, tearing herself from her game to look at Ginny. She gasped. Somehow Ginny had managed to transfigure the ugly robes into a stunning black dress. The dress was silky and hung to her, emphasizing every curve to make her appear more voluptuous.   
  
Raven shook her head furiously, "Uh-uh, there's no way you're leaving the house in _that_, Dinny!" she half shouted. She stood steadfast at the door, shaking her head again. "Nuh-uh."   
  
Rolling her eyes, Ginny said, "It doesn't matter because I'm not leaving yet anyways. I still have to do my hair and makeup." She turned on her heel and stalked into the bathroom, casting a playful grin in Raven's direction.   
  
Raven plopped herself down on he floor in front of the door and crossed her arms. There was no way she was going to let that Colin guy see her like that. He might start to think that Ginny liked _him_.   
  
Peering at her reflection in the mirror, Ginny gave her curls a bounce. She had her hair down and curled; her hair went down to the small of her back and looked like locks of silk. She was wearing her gold necklace with the heart pendant and gold hoop earrings. Sighing, Ginny decided that what she saw would have to do.   
  
She stepped out of the bathroom and pulled some black heels from her closet, conscious of the angry looks she was getting from Raven. She pulled on the shoes and stoop up, smoothing her dress and facing Raven, who was still sitting in front of the door.   
  
"Okay Raven, the game is over. I have to go now." Raven just stared up at her defiantly. "I'm serious Raven," Ginny said warningly. "Now please move." No reaction from Raven. "Don't make me move you," a stone face. "I'll tell Draco," she tried with no luck.   
  
Ginny put her hands under Raven's arms and lifted her out of the way. She opened the door and started out, then realized that one of her legs was noticeably heavier than the other. Raven was sitting on Ginny's foot, holding her leg tightly.   
  
"Raven," she scolded, "Get off my leg."   
  
"No."   
  
"Now Raven."   
  
Raven's reply was an insistent, "No."   
  
"I'm not kidding."   
  
"Me neither."   
  
Just then, they both turned and saw Draco coming their way. He stopped dead in his tracks, one eyebrow shot up as he looked at Ginny. Just seeing her all dressed up, or just seeing her at all made that twinge that had been a dull throb in his heart, become a searing pain. She looked like an angel, despite the fact that she had a four-year-old clinging to her leg. That's when he remembered that she was supposed to be going somewhere with Creevey.   
  
"So," he smirked, walking closer to them. "Planning to go on that big date with her," he cast a pointed look in Raven's direction, "Attached to your leg?"   
  
"No," she scowled, "I was _trying_ to get her off."   
  
"Oh?" he asked peevishly. "Why do that? She adds to that costume of yours."   
  
She put her hands on her hips, "You could at least help me get her off," she said crossly.   
  
He crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at Raven leisurely. "I_ could_, but," he stifled a yawn with his hand, "I just so tired."   
  
"Fine then, I don't need your help." Ginny said starting to tug at Raven's hands. Raven held on tightly, refusing to move. Raven's cheeks were flushed and her jaw was set in a frown as she watched Ginny try to pull her off, just tightening her grip as she did so. "Raven," she said anxiously, "If you don't get off now then I'll be late, and extremely angry."   
  
Raven didn't respond; she just stuck her nose up in the air insolently. "Raven," Ginny pleaded, "Please get off before I have to do something drastic," still nothing from the stubborn four-year old.   
  
"You asked for it," Ginny asked, walking into her room, her left leg slowed down because of Raven. Draco watched them with an amused smirk and followed to the door of Ginny's room. She was riffling through a drawer noisily, when she had finally found the object of pursuit, her wand, she held it up in the air with a triumphant, "Aha!"   
  
Raven looked up at her doubtfully, "What are you going to do with that?" she asked slowly.   
  
One corner of Ginny's lip curled up, "That's for me to know, and you to find out, the hard way." She held up her wand and started whispering something softly. Draco, standing at the door strained his ears to hear the words that her lips were forming. When she was done she grinned and lifted the tip of her wand up in the air slightly, and with it Raven's bottom lifted slightly off of her foot. She moved up higher and higher until Raven's rear end was suspended in mid-air.   
  
Raven let out a squeal and looked over at Draco frightened. He was to busy laughing to notice. Moving her wand some more she guided Raven to the bed and plopped her down smack-dab in the center of it. Raven glared at her and said, "You're going to be sorry you did that."   
  
Ginny lifted an eyebrow, "Oh really?"   
  
Raven pursed her lips and nodded, "Yes."   
  
Draco was still doubled over laughing as Ginny grabbed her purse and left the room. When he looked up he saw that Raven's insolent demeanor had vanished, her eyes were watery and her lower lip was trembling. "Drakey," she said in a shaky voice, "I didn' want Dinny to go."   
  
He immediately sobered up and sat on the edge of the bed. "I could tell, but you really shouldn't do things like that," he said trying to hide a smile.   
  
"But Drakey, she went out on a date with the Golin guy," Raven said sadly. "I don't like the Golin guy."   
  
Draco shook his head, "It doesn't matter if you like him or not, Ginny does and that's what matters. If she wants to date a poor obnoxious reporter, then that's her business.   
  
"But I didn't want her too!" She said as she crossed her arms and stomped her foot. Draco reached out and pulled Raven onto his lap and gave her a reassuring hug.   
  
"Raven," he said suavely. "If he's what Ginny wants we have to let her have him."   
  
"Nuh-uh," she said quietly, "Drakey, you could fix it."   
  
"No I can't."   
  
"Yes you can!" she argued, glaring up at him.   
  
"I can't Raven," he said closing his eyes, then he added softly, "It's too late, besides it would never work."   
  
"But I want you and Dinny to be together, I'll never see her again if she marries Golin," Raven said snuggling into Draco's chest.   
  
"Raven, Ginny loves you, I'm sure that you'll see her even if she does marry Golin."   
  
She jerked back from him like he was fire; "No she won't! You're going to let Golin take her away! You won't even try to stop him!" she shouted and fled the room. Draco watched her leave and heard the door to her room slam.   
  
He put his head in his hands and sighed, "What have I gotten myself into?" he asked wearily.   
  
-_-   
  
Ginny apparated to her parent's house and waited for Colin. Getting him to pick her up at Draco's house meant there might be an unnecessary confrontation. The last thing she wanted was for Draco to pick a fight with Colin. It would probably be okay for him to drop her off though, it would probably be late and Draco would already be in bed.   
  
She appeared in the kitchen were her mother was cleaning up dishes. She glanced back at Ginny and her face lit up. "Ginny dear!" she gushed wiping her hands off on a hand towel. "Darling, I'm so glad that you've come home! You know, you're father is home tonight. We could all visit and…" she stopped as she noticed what Ginny was wearing. She frowned and said, "Why are you dressed like that?"   
  
Ginny smiled, "I'm going on a date. You like?" She twirled around and looked at her mother hopefully.   
  
"Oh…" she breathed, "Honey, you just look so…beautiful and grown up." She said thickly, tears in her eyes.   
  
"Mother…" Ginny said blushing.   
  
Suddenly her mother's nostalgic manner disappeared and was replaced with a curious one. "Who is it that you're going out on this date with?"   
  
"Colin."   
  
Mrs. Weasley clapped her hands together, "I knew it! I knew it! I just knew that you liked him as more that a friend, even though you told me you didn't!" She grinned at Ginny delightedly and wrapped her arms around her for a hug. The doorbell rang and Ginny pulled back from her mother's embrace.   
  
"That's him mother," she said smiling, "I'll see you sometime soon." She gave her mother a peck on the cheek and went to answer the door.   
  
Colin was standing there, as expected, wearing a suit and holding a single red rose in his hand. Ginny gasped--a rose? He looked up at her and smiled warmly, "Hello Ginny," he held the rose up to her, "this is for you."   
  
"Oh thank you!" Ginny said taking the rose from him. She looked at it hesitantly and then back toward him. "Maybe you should step inside for a moment while I go put this in water real quick," she held the door open from him as he stepped in and guided him to the living room, "I'll be just a second," she said walking into the kitchen.   
  
Her mother looked at her as she walked back in with the rose. "Oh Ginny!" she said excitedly.   
  
Ginny shot her a look, "Mother! He's right out there," she whispered.   
  
Mrs. Weasley put her hand over her mouth and mumbled, "Sorry." Then her eyes lit up, as if she remembered something. "Ginny, there's something that I've wanted to tell you."   
  
"What?" she asked looking up from the vase that she was filling up at the sink.   
  
"The clock, the one in the living room-" she was cut off by Ginny setting the vase on the counter loudly.   
  
She gave her mother a pleading look and said, "I'm sorry mom, I really am, could we can talk about this later?"   
  
Mrs. Weasley nodded and Ginny quickly left the kitchen.   
  
-_-   
  
Colin took Ginny to a small, but fancy French restaurant a few blocks from the Theater. At first Colin was quiet, but then he began chatting about seemingly everything he could think of. Ginny found herself nodding politely and smiling in between mouthfuls.   
  
"This is a really nice place, we'll have to come her again." Ginny smiled. "It's getting late Ginny, we should probably get going, we can stop back afterwards for dessert, would you like that?"   
  
"I'm too full for dessert now anyway, besides, I'm anxious to get to the Theater."   
  
Colin opened the door for Ginny and they walked toward the Theater. As they walked along Colin tentatively reached out and held Ginny's hand. When they arrived at the Theater Ginny was overwhelmed by the ornate architecture and the elaborate paintings that covered the ceilings. It was all so beautiful. They showed their tickets to the usher and were lead up the stairs and to seats in the first row of the Mezzanine. "Are you glad you came?" Colin asked smiling at her.   
  
Ginny nodded, "Yes, I can't wait for it to start." Ginny opened up her Playbill and read about the show and cast. Colin started drumming his fingers on the armrest. Ginny glanced down at his fingers. "The playbill's interesting, you should take a look at it."   
  
"Sure." Colin opened his playbill and Ginny went back to reading hers only to be distracted by the sound of Colin wringing and tapping his Playbill. Ginny went back to reading, but was becoming increasingly annoyed. The Theater was becoming full and the orchestra started tuning their instruments. The house lights dimmed and the Theater became quiet.   
  
The curtains opened and the prologue started with the auction of items from the Paris Opera House. A large chandelier was next on the auction block. The man lit the chandelier and there was a small explosion, the organ and orchestra blared and the chandelier rocked and swayed as it was raised over the crowd to the ceiling. It hung from the ceiling, burning brightly as the curtain closed and opened to the first act. Ginny was enthralled by it all.   
  
Her reverie was broken during the middle of the first act by the drumming of Colin's fingers against her armrest. She leaned her head in his direction and whispered, "Please stop".   
  
He looked at her and then down to his fingers, "This?" he asked holding them up and wiggling them. She nodded shortly, "Oh, yes, sorry." He said meekly, slouching in his seat a little.   
  
The curtain came down and the intermission was announced. Ginny watched as people around her got up and went into the lobby. She sighed happily and then became aware of the drumming of fingers. She looked at Colin and he stopped. "I don't know about you, but I'd like to get something to drink." She said.   
  
"Yeah, that sounds good." He held out his hand and helped her out of her seat. "I think I might get some wine, what would you like?"   
  
"Wine sounds great," Ginny said as they started down the stairs towards the lobby. They went to the bar and Colin asked for two glasses of red wine. The cute bartender smiled at Ginny and winked. She quickly looked the other way and took a sip of her wine. Couldn't he tell that she was on a date? "Come on," Ginny said touching Colin's arm, "Let's go over to the kiosk and see what they're selling."   
  
They walked over to the crowded kiosk. She savored her wine as she looked at the merchandise. Colin just sort of hung around at her elbow like a bored child. Ginny turned to Colin; he clearly wasn't enjoying himself. She smiled, "I suppose we should make or way back to our seats."   
  
Colin smiled, "That sounds good, you finished with your wine?"   
  
"Ginny! Ginny!" someone said behind her. She turned around and was met with the curious face of Mr. Murphy. _Oh Merlin_, she thought.   
  
**A/N: Yeah, yeah, I know, another cliffy, but those are just the perfect places to end chapters. Don't you think?   
  
One more thing that I'd like to mention: almost all of the Phantom part is attributed to Natalie, the most fantabulous of beta readers, for I know nothing about going to plays/musicals or things like that.   
  
Thanks to everyone that reviewed! I would thank you all individually, but that would take me a while and I figured that you might want this chapter out ASAP.   
  
Please review!!!!!!!!!**


	10. The NonBelievers

**A/N:** Hey guys, sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. It was my fault, and it didn't help that I goofed by accidentally sending my beta reader the wrong version of this chapter.   
  
I hope you all like it.   
  
**Disclaimer:** All I own is Raven, nothing else. There's no reason to sue, I've already spent all my money on Christmas presents.   
  
  
  


**Au Paire  
Chapter 10—The Non-Believers**  
_By VirtualFaerie_

  
  
  
  
"Hello there, Ginny," Mr. Murray said coming to stand besides her, smiling genially. Ginny's arm flew up to clamp onto Colin's firmly, warning him not to say anything.   
  
"Hello," Ginny said, grinning, her grip on Colin's arm so tight he thought it might fall off.   
  
Mr. Murray looked at her, and then his eyes rested on Colin. He gave him a curious look and asked, "Where's Draco?"   
  
Ginny blinked for a moment, "He's at home; he wasn't feeling well tonight."   
  
"Then who is this?"   
  
"This is my cousin, Carl," she said, giving Colin both a look, and tightening her grip even more. "He came in Draco's place."   
  
"Nice to meet you, Carl," Mr. Murray said holding out a hand.   
  
Colin took his hand and smiled, "Nice to meet you too."   
  
Mr. Murray smiled at Ginny, "Well, I'll be off. Enjoy the show; see you soon, Ginny. –At the wedding?"   
  
"Of course," Ginny said waving at him as he walked away. She sighed loudly and put her face in her hands. "That was so freaking close I don't even want to think about it."   
  
"Why was that close, Ginny?" Colin asked angrily. "What was that all about? –Introducing me as your _cousin_?" He raised both of his eyebrows and looked at her expectantly. "And _why_ did that man ask you where Draco was? And whose wedding was he talking about?"   
  
"Well, Colin," Ginny started out, rubbing the bridge of her nose. He was really starting to stress her out. "That was Mr. Murray; he's Draco's new boss. He thinks that I'm Draco's fiancé."   
  
Before Ginny could finish explaining, Colin said, "Do you want me to go over there right now and tell him you aren't?"   
  
"Colin, just be quiet. I pretended to be his fiancé to help him get the job."   
  
"Why would you help Malfoy? -Did he threaten you?" Colin demanded hotly.   
  
"No, he didn't."   
  
Colin stepped closer and looked intently into Ginny's eyes. "Did he put a spell on you?"   
  
"Draco would never do anything like that!" Colin's countenance darkened.   
  
"Are you in _love_ with him?" He asked warily.   
  
"No, I'm not," she glared at him.   
  
"Well then why else would you pose as his fiancé?"   
  
"I did it because . . . because, well it doesn't even matter why I did it. The point is that it's such a small thing and I don't see why you're overreacting. – I mean, I don't see what's so horrible about what we did, it's not that big of a deal."   
  
"But it is a big deal," Colin exclaimed. "Living with Malfoy has changed you. You didn't used to act like this—so deceiving and underhanded. —Like a Slytherin. You even said I was your cousin! Like there was something wrong with being seen with me." He sighed. "You're not the Ginny I know; let me take you home—to your mother, you don't have to keep living like this."   
  
Ginny pursed her lips, "Since when did you become an expert on me? Being with Draco hasn't changed me one bit. You're being an overbearing prat!" She glared, "I don't need_ you_ to take me home."   
  
"Fine, run home to your 'fiancé'." Colin said bitterly.   
  
"He's not…" she trailed off turned on her heel and walked out of the building. She didn't need to defend herself to him.   
  
  
  
***   
  
  
  
"If you're happy and you know it clap your hands!" Raven clapped her hands more than necessary. "If you're happy and you know it clap your hands! If you're happy and you know it and you really wanna show it! If you're happy and you know it clap your hands!" Raven stood up and began bouncing around the room, clapping her hands feverishly, grinning from ear to ear.   
  
"Stop it!" Draco called from his seat on the couch. "You're giving me a headache."   
  
Raven walked over to the couch, shaking her bottom. "Eeeeexcussssse ME!" She said sticking her nose up in the air. "But you are always having headaches, Drakey."   
  
"Gee, I wonder why," Draco said looking at her pointedly.   
  
Raven lifted her eyebrows and nodded, "Yeah, me too." Draco rolled his eyes and flung his head back dramatically causing Raven to start giggling. "Ha ha, Drakey is dumb!" She pointed at him and kept giggling.   
  
Draco scowled at her, lifting his head back up. "What did you say?"   
  
Raven's mouth made a perfect 'o' shape. "Nothing…." She mumbled putting her hands on her cheeks.   
  
Draco's mouth curled up into a mischievous grin, "Nope, you definitely didn't say 'nothing'." He got up off of the couch slowly and made his way towards Raven, who was backing up. "I think you said I was _dumb_."   
  
"No, Drakey, I never—"   
  
"DRACO MALFOY!" Both Draco and Raven cringed. "COME HERE RIGHT THIS INSTANT!" Ginny's voice echoed through the house.   
  
"Uh-oh," said Raven. "Drakey's in trouble." Draco shot her a look and walked out of the room quickly. Raven giggled and she rushed out of the room after him.   
  
  
  
***   
  
  
  
She had her finger pointed at him, and her scolding voice on. "This is all your fault. You ruined my date, my night, EVERYTHING!"   
  
"Now really, I don't think I ruined anything," Draco said rolling his eyes. The he frowned, "How did I ruin your date? I wasn't even there."   
  
"And you better be glad you weren't. I might have killed you...with a _plastic spoon_."   
  
Draco shuddered, a plastic spoon didn't sound so pleasant. "What happened?"   
  
"What happened? -What didn't happen!" Ginny sighed and flopped down in a chair. "See, everything was going wonderfully, well except Colin kept doing this really annoying thing, but that's beside the point. During the intermission, we were walking around and I heard someone call my name. Guess who it was? Yes, that's right folks, it was Mr. Murray."   
  
"Mr. Murray was at a muggle theater? What did you say to him? You didn't screw everything up did you?   
  
"Me screw everything up?"   
  
"Ginny, if he found out about you and Creevey I'll be fired before you can say 'quidditch'. Now tell me exactly what was said so I can figure out how to fix this mess you made."   
  
"Mess I made? If you would have gotten this job without having to lie to anyone—if you had gotten in on your own merit, then you wouldn't be in this sticky situation now would you?"   
  
"I did get that job on my own merit, I'm more than qualified and I wasn't going to loose it because of Murray's family man bias. I don't see what's so horrible about what we did, it's not that big of a deal, and you're making it sound like murder or something."   
  
Ginny's head snapped back as if she had just been slapped. "Oh my gods," she whispered, Draco gave her a confused look. "Colin was right."   
  
"What do you mean he was right?" Draco demanded.   
  
"I said that exact same thing to him. 'I don't see what's so horrible about what we did, it's not that big of a deal.' He said it was a big deal and he was right when he said it. He was right."   
  
Draco rolled his eyes again, "He's not right. Gods, I'd think you'd have more sense that to listen to him."   
  
"Don't say that, Colin's a great guy and he didn't deserve anything that happened to him tonight."   
  
"What happened to Colin that was so horrible? -I'm the one whose job is hanging in the balance."   
  
"For goodness sakes Draco, we were on a date and I introduced him as my cousin and then was told that I was engaged. He wanted to tell Mr. Murray the truth and when I wouldn't let him he broke up with me."   
  
"Did Murray believe it?"   
  
"Yes he did."   
  
"So what are you so upset for?"   
  
Ginny stood up and shook her head. "You just don't get it Draco, he broke up with me because of you. Well," she stopped herself, "I think he did."   
  
"He's not the right person for you anyway, ever think of that?" he snapped.   
  
"Then who would be?" she asked quietly. Draco looked at her and met her eyes, but didn't say anything. There was an unreadable expression on his face. "That's what I thought," she said mildly. "Why are you doing this to me? Why are you making things so hard for us?" she began. "Y-You kissed me," she spluttered, "and you said it was just because you could. Do you have any idea how much that hurt my feelings? —Do you even consider my feelings? Do you realize I have any?"   
  
Draco looked at her, his face completely masked, showing no emotion. Ginny lowered her eyebrows and turned her face upwards towards the ceiling, her lower lip trembling and her eyes shining with tears. "Draco, I just can't do this anymore," she said in a breathy whisper, lowering her eyes to look at him before she fled the room, slamming the door behind her.   
  
"Damn," Draco cursed, hitting himself on the forehead.   
  
  
  
***   
  
  
  
Ginny pushed the door of Raven's room slowly and peered in. Raven was sitting on her bed, holding her blond and redheaded dolls in her hands dejectedly. Ginny heaved a sigh and made her way towards Raven. Raven looked up at her and smiled.   
  
"Hello, Dinny," she said.   
  
"Hi…" Ginny said giving her a weak smile. She couldn't hold the smile; it fell from her face. "Raven, I'm not going to be here much longer. I think I'm going to be leaving tonight." She stroked Raven's hair. "But I want you to know that I'll always be there for you if you need me."   
  
"You're leaving me?" Raven asked in an unusually small voice.   
  
"Yes."   
  
"Why?" she asked, her eyes shimmering with tears.   
  
"I have to, but everything will be okay." Ginny got Raven ready for bed in silence. She tucked her in and kissed her forehead.   
  
"I love you, D-Dinny," she said quietly.   
  
"I love you too, Raven," Ginny said smoothing her hair, tears falling to her cheeks.   
  
  
  
***   
  
  
  
Ginny yanked her bag out of her closet and began throwing her things in it haphazardly, tears blurring her vision. She looked at her clock and saw that it was well past ten, hopefully her parents would still be up when she got home or maybe it would be better if they weren't, she didn't want to be bombarded by questions.   
  
After her bag was packed, she found her wand and apparated home.   
  
"Ginny dear," her mother greeted. "What are you doing back here so soon?"   
  
Ginny sniffed, "I really don't want to talk about it right now." Her mother nodded. Ginny looked up instinctively at the clock to see if anyone else was there, but she saw the most curious thing.... Her hand was pointing to "at the Burrow" and not "at home". She turned to her mother, immensely confused. The Weasley kids didn't get that unless they were married. "Mum," she said quietly. "Why has the clock changed?"   
  
Molly looked at Ginny carefully, "Well dear, are you in love at the moment?" She took in Ginny's red eyes and assumed she'd just had a fight with whoever it was."   
  
Blinking, Ginny answered very slowly, her face reflecting her surprise. "I think…maybe I am."   
  
Molly nodded again, "Alright then, why don't we get you into bed? You must have had a long day." Ginny allowed herself to be led to her bedroom.   
  
"Thanks mum," she said giving her a hug.   
  
Molly smiled, "Remember _we_ always love you." Molly left the room, with a feeling in the stomach that told her that the person Ginny was in love with was not Colin Creevey.   
  
Ginny looked at the closed door and then went to curl up on her bed, kicking her shoes off along the way. She buried her face into her pillow and started to cry.   
  
  
  
***   
  
  
  
Drakey," Raven said when she walked into the second floor library the next day, where she knew Draco would be. She sniffled, "D-Dinny's gone."   
  
Draco was standing by the window looking at the backyard of his mansion. His hands were resting at his sides, and his eyes were set in a sharp manner. He turned to face Raven, his gaze softening as he set eyes on her. "I know."   
  
"Can you make her come back, Drakey?" Raven asked earnestly.   
  
"You know I can't."   
  
"Yes, you can," Raven said, "You just don't want to try. Don't you love her?"   
  
"_Love_ her?" Draco asked incredulously. "You have got to be kidding me. There is no way that I _love_ her." Draco blinked and rolled the thought of being in love with Ginny around in his head. "No, I'm not in love with her."   
  
"Yes you are," Raven said putting her little hands on her hips. "I saw both of you kissing." Draco gave her an astonished look. "You thought I was sleeping, but I wasn't.   
  
"Raven," Draco spluttered. He cleared his throat and shook his head. "Just because we kissed doesn't mean that we're in love. People kiss all the time and it doesn't mean they're in love."   
  
Raven shook her head, "You and Dinny love each other, just like mommy and daddy do, I can tell."   
  
"You don't know what you're saying." Draco said, storming out of the room, calling Miss Wells to take care of Raven.   
  
  
  
***   
  
  
  
Molly Weasley threw a handful of powder in the fiery hearth and called out "Narcissa Malfoy".   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N:** I hope that was well worth the wait. I'm sorry that it took me so long. Maybe I'll be able to get the next chapter out sooner since Christmas Break is almost here, Friday.   
  
**Thanks to the greatest beta, Natalie, for putting up with goofiness of not being able to send the right chapter, and also putting up with things that have nothing to do with my fics. **   
  
Thanks to everyone for reviewing. I love it when you review, it makes me feel like there's actually a reason that I'm writing this story that I think is sort of stupid. Actually, I think all of my stories really suck. But you guys change my mind. :-)   
  
  
  
**Please Review!!!**   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	11. Hello Mrs Malfoy

**Au Paire  
Chapter 11**  
_By VirtualFaerie_

  
  
  
  
Draco was lying in his bed, staring at the ceiling when there was a knock on the door. "Come in," he said monotonously. He didn't even look as the door creaked open.   
  
Miss Wells stepped in. "Mr. Malfoy, I cannot take care of Raven all of the time!" she said indignantly. "She…she ruined my orange crème sauce!" Miss Wells sniffed. "I think you need to find a new nanny, Mr. Malfoy." She looked at him hesitantly, wondering faintly if she had spoken her mind too much.   
  
Draco turned his head slightly and looked at Miss Wells. "Ah, I guess Raven's a bit much for you to handle all day." Miss Wells nodded. Draco sighed, "Alright, I'll find someone else to watch her."   
  
Miss Wells blinked rapidly, "D-Did I hear you right, Mr. Malfoy?"   
  
Draco frowned. "Do you want me to get someone else or not?" He snapped.   
  
Miss Well's jumped. "Yes, thank you sir." She curtsied and quickly fled the room.   
  
Draco raked his fingers through his hair and got out of bed and dressed for the day. He stepped out into the hall and looked at the door to Ginny's room. He pushed it open and stepped inside. It smelled of vanilla, it hadn't smelled like that before she came. He shook his head, shut the door and made his way to the library.   
  
He sat at his desk, shuffled through his paperwork and found the file containing the report that was due for Mr. Murray on Monday. He quickly became engrossed in his work. Soon all that could be heard was the ticking of the clock and the scratching of his quill as he made changes to his report. The clock chimed and his concentration was momentarily broken. That's when he saw it, the chessboard that he and Ginny had played chess with. He sat frozen, as if in a trance, then dropped his quill on the blotter and slowly made his way over to the chess set. He picked up the knight and examined it closely as if it held some secret or words of wisdom. He let out a strangled cry and swung at the chess pieces, scattering them onto the floor, he kicked the king that had landed by his foot and threw the knight across the room into the fireplace.   
  
The door slowly creaked open and Raven hesitantly walked in. "Drakey?" she said as she surveyed the mess on the floor. "Will you read me a story?" she asked.   
  
Draco looked at her and said simply, "Read to you?"   
  
Raven nodded, "A book? Please?" He didn't say anything. "Or just a story," she said coaxingly. "You can make it up." He just looked at her. Raven frowned, "It can be about a mean, evil prince who scared away the beautiful princess," she said angrily.   
  
"I'm afraid I don't know any stories about a mean, evil prince," Draco said coolly. "Why don't you go play with your dolls?"   
  
"You do to!" Raven said and stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind her.   
  
Draco picked up a paperweight full of powder and threw in the fireplace, causing flame to flare. He called out his mother's name.   
  
Narcissa Malfoy's face appeared in the fireplace. "Yes, dear?" she asked pleasantly.   
  
"Mother," he ground out. "Can you watch Raven for the rest of the summer?"   
  
She looked at him suspiciously, "Weren't you supposed to watch her?"   
  
He glared at her, "Yes, but only because you volunteered me to do it without asking me."   
  
"What happened to that lovely girl that was helping you?"   
  
"She can't do it anymore, and I'm way too busy to do it. It's your fault I'm in this mess; the least you can do is watch her for the rest of the summer."   
  
Narcissa glared at him. "Draco Edward Malfoy. How _dare_ you take that tone with me. I don't care how old you are, you are not to order me around."   
  
Draco swallowed, "I'm sorry, mother, I didn't mean to, it's just that without Ginny here Raven is too much for me or any of the other staff to handle."   
  
"Why has Virginia left? I was under the impression that she would be there the whole summer."   
  
"I don't know why she left, who can understand half the things that women do?"   
  
Narcissa smiled. "Funny, most women say that about men. However, that is beside the point. I find it difficult to believe that she would leave without giving you a reason why. Virginia is a sweet, responsible girl, surely she must have told you why she had to leave, and on such short notice at that."   
  
"I said I don't know. Besides, it doesn't matter, all that matters is that I need help with Raven now."   
  
"You wouldn't be lying to your mother now would you Draco?" His shoulder's tensed. "I would be very distraught to find out that my only son has been lying to me."   
  
Draco looked at Narcissa pleadingly. "Mom, please. I really need your help; I have a very busy week coming up at work. I won't be able to get all my work done unless you watch Raven."   
  
Narcissa smiled. "Of course I'll help you sweetheart. Just bring her over here tomorrow morning alright?"   
  
"Thank you, I really appreciate it. You're the best." Draco said with a smile.   
  
"You're welcome, dear." She looked at him worriedly. "Draco, you look tired, maybe you should go take a nap."   
  
"Yes, mom," he said.   
  
"Good, now go on, I'll see you tomorrow." She smiled and her face disappeared from the fireplace with a pop.   
  
Draco sighed and put his head in his hands. He looked up to see the chessboard staring at him accusingly. He snapped his hands off his face and let his forehead fall on his desk with a 'thunk'.   
  
~*~   
  
Ginny was standing in the kitchen, amid piles of all kinds of baked goods: cookies, cakes, muffins, brownies, rolls, breads, pies, tarts, almost everything, you name it. Her hair was streaked with flour, and she had a spot of it on her nose and cheek. She was wearing a worn out apron covered with sticky stuff. There were dishes piled up in the sink, and she had used up all the flour, baking powder and sugar; there wasn't even an egg or a smidge of butter left in the house.   
  
Ron walked in the kitchen and his eyes boggled. "Gi-Gins! What have you been doing?"   
  
She looked at him, "Baking. What does it look like?"   
  
Ron shook his head as he surveyed the goods. He nabbed a chocolate chip cookie and munched on it thoughtfully before saying, "You know, you only bake when you're upset. And judging the amount of stuff you've baked, you're really upset."   
  
"Nah, ya think Ron?" She glared and him and blew a piece of hair out of her face.   
  
"Sheesh, no need to get all angry Gins. What's gotten into you?" Ron asked, shoving another cookie in his mouth.   
  
Ginny rolled her eyes at him and found them resting on the clock. It still had her hand pointing at "at the Burrow" and not "at home". "Ron," she said, and then her voice started to quake. "Ron," she sobbed. Ron blinked and looked at her curiously before pulling her into a hug. "Oh, Ron," she said. "It's been so horrible…" She cried into his shoulder and he patted her back a bit awkwardly, reassuring her that it would all be okay, even though he didn't know what was wrong.   
  
"Uhm, sorry, but am I intruding on anything?" Harry asked from the doorway, looking at them inquisitively.   
  
"Yes," Ginny said, lowering her eyebrows at him.   
  
Ron frowned at her, "Not at all," he said to Harry. "Come in, have something to eat," Ron motioned vaguely to all the food. Ginny huffed and stalked out of the kitchen, wiping her eyes with bottom of her shirt muttering something that sounded like "git" under her breath.   
  
She slammed the door of her room open and looked at her bag that was lying by her desk, still packed. She picked it up and flopped it onto her bed; she unzipped it and began dumping all the contents out onto her bed. The black robe with woven silver threads lay on top of everything else, glaring at her. She bit her lip and felt her eyes watering. She picked it up and shoved it back into her bag. "No," she whispered. "I won't think of him, I won't. Slimy git…" she murmured.   
  
A black owl flew up to her window and began tapping on it impatiently. "Just a moment," she grumbled as she walked over to it and pushed the window open. The owl flew in and hooted happily. It landed on her shoulder and she took the parchment from its grasp. The owl flew off her shoulder and settled on her bedpost. She pulled the parchment open and read.   
  
_Virginia,  
I'd be extremely flattered if you would join me for tea on Monday at 4 o'clock. Raven has been missing you terribly and doesn't find me to be a suitable replacement for you. She's staying at my home now and is very anxious to see you.   
Sincerely,  
Narcissa Malfoy_   
  
Ginny scrawled back a reply saying that she would come to tea and was looking forward to seeing Raven.   
  
The thought of seeing Raven made Ginny smile. She took the rest of her clothes off of her bed and put them away in her drawers before starting back down the stairs.   
  
Harry and Ron were sitting at the scrubbed wooden table in the kitchen, munching on various things, talking about something in hushed voices. They noticed her come in and stopped. She scowled at them, "Talking about me?"   
  
Harry shook his head, "No, of course not."   
  
Ginny rolled her eyes, "Whatever," and started washing the dishes in the sink.   
  
~*~   
  
Ginny apparated to the Malfoy Manor and used the large, gold, serpent knocker that was on the door. Within seconds a doorman answered. Only it wasn't really a man, it was a ghost.   
  
"Good afternoon," the ghost greeted Ginny, as if he had been suspecting her all along.   
  
Ginny raised her eyebrows at him, "Hello, I'm here to have tea with—"   
  
"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy. Right this way, if you'll follow me," the ghost butler led her down a hallway and pushed open a door. "Mrs. Malfoy, Virginia has arrived." The ghost butler held the door open. Ginny started at him, "Well, go on," he said amusedly.   
  
"Oh," Ginny said and walked into the room. Narcissa was sitting on an elegant couch with a teacup in her hand. There was a pot of tea and another cup on the coffee table, along with some cupcakes. Ginny grinned, cupcakes in the Malfoy Manor, who would've thought.   
  
"Hello," Ginny said, taking a seat in an armchair.   
  
Narcissa smiled at her, "Hello, Virginia. I'm so glad you could make it. Tea?"   
  
"Yes, please," Ginny said. Narcissa poured her a cup of tea and handed it to her.   
  
"So," Narcissa said conversationally. "How have you been doing?"   
  
"Fine, than you."   
  
"I must admit I was surprised to hear that you had quit your position. You were doing so wonderfully and I know that Raven has become quite attached to you. Did you decide that being an au paire wasn't to your liking?"   
  
Ginny put down her teacup. "Oh, no Mrs. Malfoy, that's not it at all, I loved taking care of Raven."   
  
"Please, call me Narcissa. If you were so happy, then why did you leave?"   
  
Ginny stirred her tea nervously. "Well, I just had to, it's kind of complicated."   
  
"So this is my son's doing. I thought as much. What did he do?"   
  
"I…. err, well…"   
  
Narcissa reached out and rested her hand on Ginny's arm. "Virginia, I might be his mother, but I know very well what he can be like. He can be as mean and nasty as any dragon."   
  
"-I wouldn't say he's that bad, after all even dragon's can be quit docile at times, and they have a soft spot."   
  
Narcissa raised her eyebrow and the corner of her mouth tugged up. "Very true, and so he does, perhaps that's why he's so miserable. So please, tell me what happened because he won't."   
  
Ginny looked up at Narcissa and sighed. "I don't even know where to start."   
  
Narcissa smiled. "Then start at the beginning, we have plenty of tea."   
  
"We were getting along so well and he had to go and ruin it."   
  
"What do you mean, he ruined it?"   
  
"Well I suppose it started when Mr. Murray came to dinner. Draco was being interviewed for the Director of Investigations position. He was concerned that he wasn't going to get the job because he wasn't a "family man" so he had told Mr. Murray that he was engaged. Draco had asked me to pose as his fiancé for the evening, well I refused."   
  
"Of course you did."   
  
Ginny looked abashed. "Well somehow the next thing I knew he had talked me into doing it."   
  
"I see. Well he can be very persuasive when he wants to, like his father."   
  
"Yes well… so he got the job and that was that. At least I thought, he was supposed to tell Mr. Murray that we broke off the engagement, except he didn't."   
  
"Really?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
"Then what happened?"   
  
"Well one night I had gone out with my friends, when I came home I talked with Draco."   
  
"Yes?"   
  
Ginny blushed and started to fiddle with her napkin. "Well he kissed me. I was kind of surprised that he did that, well I had kind of thought that maybe…I just didn't think he thought about me…" She covered her face with her hands. "This is so embarrassing, I can't believe I'm telling you this."   
  
"Don't be embarrassed, I was your age once and I'm not _that_ old."   
  
A small smile lit Ginny's face. "Well after he kissed me he just left."   
  
"What do you mean he just left?"   
  
"Just that, he walked away and he skipped breakfast the next morning."   
  
"I can't believe he did that! Why did he kiss you?"   
  
"Well that's exactly what I wanted to know. –It was so confusing, here I had just started to date Colin and there Draco goes and gives me this big passionate kiss and then avoids me and acts like it never happened."   
  
"Did he know you were going out with Colin? -What happened next?"   
  
"No, I don't think so, but he found out the next day. That was when Raven told me that while I was out he had taken her flying. –He let her fly on a broom all by herself."   
  
Narcissa gasped. "He did what?"   
  
"I know; I was livid. So I went up to his room where he was hiding and got into a huge row with him over how stupid that was."   
  
"More tea Virginia?"   
  
"Yes, please. Well later on Draco was giving me fencing lessons."   
  
"Fencing lessons? -Why was he doing that?"   
  
"It was payment for my posing as his fiancé."   
  
"Really?"   
  
"Yes, well he had me backed into a corner and was leaning in like he was going to kiss me again. I stopped him and asked him why he kissed me the night before."   
  
"What did he say?"   
  
"Because he could."   
  
Narcissa set her teacup down with a clatter. "He said what? -I can't believe it, why I raised him better than that. –So what happened after that?"   
  
Ginny shrugged, "Well, I was mad and we just sort of avoided each other after that. Then I went to Phantom of the Opera with Colin and had a run in with Mr. Murray. Well Draco hadn't told him that we had broken up and there I was on a date with Colin introducing him as my cousin. Then I had to explain to Colin what was going on, he got upset and broke up with me. I went back home; to Draco's I mean and told him what happened. Draco wanted to know what I had said in order to determine if I had messed anything up for him, which was just rich if you ask me. My whole night was ruined; I didn't even see the second half. We got into a big argument; he said some things about Colin and I left."   
  
"Hmm, what did he say about Colin?"   
  
"Oh Draco always makes fun of Colin, he said something about Colin not being the right person for me."   
  
"Oh, I see. What do you think?"   
  
Ginny looked at her hands. "I know Colin's not the right person for me."   
  
There was a slight knock on the door. "Come in," Narcissa said.   
  
The door opened and Raven stuck her head in. She saw Ginny and her eyes widened, "Dinny!" she screamed and launched herself at Ginny. Ginny grinned and put her arms around Raven. "I missed you so much! Drakey's been such a meany since you left! I missed you!"   
  
"I missed you too. A meany? —He was being mean to my Raven? We'll have to do something about that won't we?" Ginny said, smiling at Raven.   
  
Raven sighed, "And he doesn't read me any stories or play with me anymore like he used to."   
  
Ginny looked at Raven sadly, "I'm sorry Raven, honey. It was my fault…if I hadn't…"   
  
"Oh hush," Narcissa rolled her eyes. "It's Draco's fault and he full well knows it. That's why he's being such a miserable prat to everyone. Don't worry ladies; I'm sure he'll come to his senses."   
  
Raven nodded, "Then the evil queen and prince can live happily ever after."   
  
Narcissa raised an eyebrow, "What?"   
  
"Nothing, it's another long story," said Ginny.   
  
"Another thing that I wanted to ask you, would you like to be Raven's nanny here? I'm awful busy trying to run the house with Lucius sulking in his library all day about the good old days. It really gets a bit tiring if you know what I mean."   
  
Ginny smiled, "I think I might like that."   
  
~*~   
  
Draco apparated to his mother's house, he had come to pay a visit to Raven and tell her that he was sorry for being so mean to her for the past few days. He greeted Riley, their ghost butler, who showed him to the sitting room that he mother was in. As they neared the doorway he could hear his mother laugh, along with the tinkling laughter of Raven...and Ginny. He pressed his ear to the door.   
  
Riley looked at him distastefully, "You know Master Malfoy," he said. "It isn't very nice of you to listen in on conversations like that."   
  
Draco sneered at him, "I don't recall asking your opinion. You're dismissed." Riley floated off in a huff.   
  
He pushed the door open to find his mother and Ginny sitting on the same couch with Raven squished in-between them. They all looked up at him, suddenly silent. He felt a weird tingle in his stomach. "Hello," he said, stepping into the room.   
  
"Draco," Narcissa said. "It's nice to see you. What are you doing here?"   
  
"I came to see Raven," Draco said, looking at Ginny, who was staring raptly at her hands.   
  
"Oh, well I was just going to take Raven up to get ready for Dinner." Narcissa said getting up and taking Raven's hand. "Why don't you be a good son and stay here with my guest while I take care of Raven."   
  
As she walked by Draco she gave him a look that would make a giant whither and dragged Raven out of the room and shut the door behind them.   
  
The silence was palpable. Draco stood rooted to his spot staring at Ginny.   
  
Finally he said, "Raven misses you."   
  
Ginny looked up at him coolly, "I miss her too."   
  
He ran his hand through his hair and looked at her. She looked at him expectantly. "I, uh, nice day today."   
  
"Yes."   
  
Draco looked around the room. "I see you had the strawberry cupcakes, they're my favorite, did you like them?"   
  
"Yes, they were good."   
  
Draco put his hands in his pockets and looked at his feet. The clock chimed, it was half passed five. The silence continued.   
  
Ginny looked at the clock, it read 5:45. She took at deep steadying breath and stood up and started to walk toward Draco. She stopped in front of him. "Thank your mother for me and give her my apologies for not staying, but I really can't wait any longer." With that she made her way toward the door and turned the knob. "Please."   
  
Ginny turned. "Did you say something?"   
  
Draco walked over to her, "I said please, don't go."   
  
Ginny's eyes grew wide and started to water. Draco's hand reached up and caught the first tear as it fell. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I just wasn't sure… I never felt… I wasn't supposed to…"   
  
"Draco, I don't understand, what are you saying?"   
  
"All the love that I have, it's for you. I'll never be able to love anyone else."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**A/N:** *sniff* This is my last A/N for this story. Can you believe it? *sigh* Au Paire is over and never again shall I post another chapter. Yes, that's right, no epilogue or sequel so please don't ask. I'll leave it up to your fluffy bunny imaginations what happens now.   
  
A great deal of this chapter is credited to Natalie, who is one of the best beta readers in the world!!!! I'm glad she's been betaing this fic because it wouldn't have turned out so good if she hadn't. *sigh* But it's not like I'm going to miss her or anything *wink wink*. She'll still be around betaing my other fics. Anyways, mucho credit to her.  
  
And I would also like to thank all of my faithful, and drop by reviewers!!! I appreciated each and everyone of them. I hope that you guys can review just one last time. :-) 


	12. Epilogue

Au Paire By VirtualFaerie  
  
Disclaimer: Have I ever owned anything besides Raven?  
  
VF: I caved. The fact that so many people decided to hate me after the way I ended AP, I caved and decided that I probably should write an epilogue-so here you have it you hateful people. *sniffs*  
  
*  
  
"Ginny Weasley, I have no idea what you think you're doing--but it most certainly is not planning a wedding! Do you have any idea how much effort is going into this and how much of it is not yours? You do want to get married don't you?--Because if you do, I don't think you should spend your time like this. It isn't productive."  
  
"Oh hush, Hermione," Ginny called over her shoulder. Taking advantage of her opponent's momentary lapse in attention from Hermione's lecturing, Ginny lunged forward with her foil, tearing a small rip in the white fabric of her opponent's jumper. "I'm multi-tasking."  
  
Hermione snorted. "This is what you call multi-tasking? Fighting and planning a wedding do not go together."  
  
"I'm not fighting, I'm practicing." Ginny said, parrying a blow aimed at her hip. "And I'm practicing because I'll be damned if Malfoy is going to beat me every time we spar."  
  
"I can't believe you two are getting married and you still call him Malfoy."  
  
"Only when I'm feeling affectionate." Ginny grinned behind her mask.  
  
Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "You know, this whole thing really baffles me."  
  
"Anything that you can't piece together with logic baffles you, Hermione," Ginny said.  
  
"Exactly, I can't think of a logical reason why you and Malfoy would be together--of all people!" Hermione set her clipboard and quill down on the hardwood floor and placed her hands on her hips, waiting for Ginny to finish.  
  
"Maybe," Ginny lunged again, but this time her opponent was ready and blocked. "It's just because we love each other. Ever think of that?" She circled her opponent slowly. "I mean, come on, you and Ron have been married for ages, and you guys used to always fight in school. Why is that any different from me and Draco?"  
  
"I don't know," Hermione pretended to think. "Maybe it's because his family has always hated your family."  
  
"He doesn't hate me."  
  
"Obviously." Hermione rolled her eyes. "Anyway, did you want the green or blue bridesmaid dresses?" She picked her clipboard back up from the floor.  
  
"Can I have rainbow?"  
  
"I swear you are the most infuriating--"  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this, Ginny?" Draco asked, walking into the ballroom, carrying the foils and equipment.  
  
Ginny nodded firmly as she stepped into the ballroom behind him. "We're getting married tomorrow. I'm going to beat you before we get married if it's the last thing I do."  
  
Draco shook his head. "I don't understand why you're so set on beating me."  
  
"There's nothing to understand, Draco my dear. Now put on your suit and let's get cracking." Ginny said, pulling on her own aforementioned suit and fastening her mask on. She picked up and foil and tested its weight in her hand.  
  
"Ready?" Draco asked, rolling his neck.  
  
"Yes, the Evil Queen shall prevail today."  
  
"We'll see about that." Draco said. "On guard." Ginny took position and they circled each other slowly. For a few moments, neither of them struck, then Draco swung his foil in Ginny's direction. She brought her's down harshly, the clanging of metal hitting metal echoed throughout the ballroom. Draco arched an eyebrow, "Good one, Weasley."  
  
Ginny rolled her eyes and brought her foil down to his thigh, he quickly parried it. She arched an eyebrow as he did, "Good one, Malfoy."  
  
"As if I would do any less." Draco said, grinning at her.  
  
They carried on, blocking blow for blow. Ginny moved forward with every hit she aimed, slowly working Draco closer to the wall. He noticed and tried to sidle away, but Ginny brought her foil down in any direction the tried to go.  
  
He frowned at her. "What's this, Weasley?"  
  
"What's what?" Ginny asked innocently. She swung her foil, making him back up into a corner.  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "Planning on decapitating me? Really, and I thought you---Whoa, okay, that's a little too close for comfort."  
  
Ginny grinned. She had her foil horizontal across his neck, not touching him, but close just the same. She pressed herself closer to him. "Don't worry, dear," she said lightly. She leaned in closer to him, and knocked his foil from his hand.  
  
"Hey, no fair. Distraction," Draco called.  
  
"It's fair." She was ready to place a soft kiss on his lips when she pulled back quickly. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked at him. "Why do you want to marry me?" she asked.  
  
Draco blinked and gave her a distressed sort of look. "What? First you take my dignity and now you refuse to repent with a kiss? Good gods, woman."  
  
Ginny's face hardened. "Just answer the question, Draco."  
  
Draco smirked at her. "Let's see.why would I want to marry you?" He pretended to think about it for a moment, before he knocked Ginny's foil down, and it rolled away loudly. He placed a firm kiss on her mouth and said, "Because I love you." 


End file.
